Epiphany
by What About Love
Summary: Her life wasn't turning out the way she planned. It only took one group of friends, one special man, to turn her life around. Will/Karen
1. Chapter 1

She had gotten a job. What a joke. Stan had been pressuring her to get out of the manse and do something with herself, but she didn't want to. She was content with just being alone. Sure, she had friends, but they were of a high social standing. They would speak to her one moment, but talk about her behind her back when she walked away. She had never really fit in.

She married a man straight out of college to divorce him only a year later, he cheated. Then she met a man, who she still considered the love of her life, and she married him instantly. She had a miscarriage early in their marriage and ever since she had kept her dreams of motherhood to herself. He tragically died in a car accident after their fifth year anniversary, and she gave up on love. She met Stanly Walker after a few years of sulking and when she realized that he was rich, she agreed to marry him. The only problem was, he was currently married. So, they carried on an affair until he divorced his wife, many years later.

But that part of her life was over and she had grown accustomed to being a trophy wife. There weren't many things that she enjoyed anymore, and she didn't have any friends, but she was content. Life could be good with hundreds of millions of dollars in a bank account. Too bad the socialite scene had made her harsh, oddly cold on the outside, but so emotional on the inside.

"Karen, could you fax these papers for me?" Grace walked over to her desk, snapping her out of a daydream. She was wearing the ugliest dress that Karen had ever seen and she wanted to insult her instantly, but she held back. She was unsure of what her role in the office should be, and she didn't want to overstep her boundaries.

"Yeah, honey." She took the papers from her new boss and walked over to the fax machine, biting her lip in confusion. She had no clue what she was doing. "Where's the on button?"

"It's the green one on the left." Grace continued to draw a few sketches, unaware of the fact that her assistant was getting ready to show how unqualified for the job she really was. Karen pressed the button and the machine came to life. She shrugged and typed in the number, setting the paper in the machine. Nothing happened so she tried pushing another button, hoping to coax the contraption to work. She tried to push the paper into the slot when it suddenly hummed into action, quickly pulling the paper and her forefinger into the center.

"Oh, fuck!" She pulled her finger out and examined the damage. It felt like she had just dropped a twenty pound bowling ball on it. Her examination stopped when she heard laughter from behind her. She turned to find Grace with her hand over her mouth, stifling the sound of amusement. She walked over to her assistant and took her hurt finger in her hand.

"Why the hell did you put you finger in it?" She continued to laugh and Karen soon caught on, giggling as well. She tried to hide her laugh, Stan always said that it was embarrassing, but she couldn't and they were soon giggling over something as stupid as a hurt finger. It was a sort of icebreaker for their relationship.

"I'm sorry, honey. I have no idea how to work a fax machine." She wiped a tear from her eyes when the laughter subsided and cleared her voice. "I guess I'm not as qualified for the job as I made myself sound."

"It's fine. I'm sure you can learn." She walked over to Karen's new enemy and taught her the basics, which she didn't understand. "You know what? Let's lock up early and go to a late lunch together. We should probably get to know each other if we're working together."

"Alright." She wasn't exactly sure how to respond to her new boss's suggestion, but she agreed. It was odd for her to just spontaneously make a lunch plan like that, but it wasn't like it was a big deal. "Where are we going?"

"I don't know. Oh, we could go to the Olive Garden." Karen cringed. The only thing worse than that woman's taste in clothing was her taste in food. She didn't want to sound rude, but she could definitely not be seen in an Olive Garden.

"You know, honey, maybe I should take you to lunch. It'll be my treat." She knew that Grace probably couldn't afford to eat at a five star restaurant so she would foot the bill. Grace thought for a moment.

"That's nice, okay. I just have to call Will and tell him that I'll be a little late for our movie night." She moved towards the phone and Karen sat down at her desk.

"Is he your boyfriend?" She was astonished when the redhead began to laugh. What was funny?

"No, he's been my best friend since college."

"So, you two aren't together, but you've called him twice today? I don't get it, honey."

"He's gay."

"Oh." Everything made sense with that one little sentence. Grace called Will and explained what was going on before the two women gathered their belongings and walked down to Karen's limo. Grace watched as Karen loudly knocked on the window, startling her driver who was asleep. They went to a fancy French restaurant where Karen bought her the most expensive meal she had ever had. They learned a lot about each other and knew that they would be fast friends.

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"You've been working there for a week and you still haven't told me about it. When are you getting a paycheck?" Stan turned the page in his newspaper and looked at his wife, sipping her tea across from him at the kitchen table.

"I don't know, honey."

"What do you mean you don't know? Didn't he tell you?"

"She's a woman, and no."

"You work for a woman? That's a laugh." She glared at him, but kept her mouth closed. He always won their arguments so there was no point in even trying to speak. He stood from his chair and patted her head as he walked by, like a dog. She gritted her teeth so she wouldn't speak. "I'm working late tonight."


	2. Chapter 2

She was thumbing through a catalogue at her desk. Grace was at lunch and she actually trusted her to watch the business. She wasn't there to work though, and she knew that by then. She was hired for the fact that she was a high profile woman, with high profile friends. For a moment she resented that fact, but the more she got to know Grace, the more she realized that she wasn't that kind of person. She was nice and she didn't judge her. So, in return, Karen refused her paychecks and passed Grace's business cards out to whoever she could. She knew how much the business was struggling so she decided to do her part and help. It was the least she could do since she was virtually worthless around the office.

"You must be Karen." She jumped at the voice in the doorway and turned to face a man. He was tall and she found him very attractive. She smiled, the way she always did when she met a man. She couldn't help herself. She was a flirter.

"Of course I am, honey." She reached her hand towards him and he took it in his own. "Who are you?"

"I'm Will."

"Oh, the gay one." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself. She rolled her eyes at her sudden boldness. "Did I offend you?"

"No. I know I'm gay." He smiled and she returned it, relieved that he had a sense of humor, even if it did seem kind of dull.

"Of course." She wasn't sure how to make conversation with men without flirting so she decided to skip it. It wouldn't do her any good with a gay man anyway. "Grace just left for lunch a few minutes ago. Sorry you missed her." He pulled a stool up to sit next to her desk. She eyed him suspiciously.

"Is it okay if I wait?" She nodded and turned to look at her magazine. "So, are you married?" She held up her left hand, showing her wedding ring in response. "Any kids?"

"Two stepchildren."

"I'm not married."

"That's because you're gay." He noticed that she seemed to be a distant person. Her answers were short. From what Grace said, she was a very nice woman once she became comfortable. He didn't think he was making her uncomfortable so he decided to continue.

"So, how long have you been married?"

"Too long."

"Do you not like me or something?" She looked at him and squinted her eyes, an annoyed look on her face.

"Why the hell wouldn't I like you? I don't even know you, honey."

"You don't have to sound so rude." He picked up one of the bottles of nail polish off her desk to look at it. She snatched it away and slammed it back down on the desk.

"Look who's rude. You come in here and start digging at my life. It's none of your business. We're not gal pals."

"I was trying to get to know you a little. Grace likes you so I thought I'd make an effort. I guess she doesn't know that she works with a snotty bitch." She stood from her chair and burned his eyes with her own as he stood to meet her gaze. Nobody talked to Karen Walker like that.

"Well, you're a queer so I guess that makes you a bitch too." He came back with an even harsher response and they were soon in a yelling match. They didn't even know each other, but they definitely got off on the wrong foot. Grace walked into the office, early to return from lunch, to hear hateful words being exchanged between her best friend and her assistant.

"What the hell is going on?" Grace shouted over the feud. The room became silent and two pairs of eyes were quick to meet hers. "I could hear you two all the way down the hall."

"I'll call you later Grace." He kissed her cheek and walked out the door. Karen stared after him, an odd steam boiling in her veins. She was so angry. She had felt so numb to life for so long that it felt oddly good to be angry, to argue. She got some sort of rush out of it.

"Karen, what happened?" She shrugged and sat back down at her desk.

"He started asking questions and picking around at the stuff on my desk. Then he had the balls to call me rude." She picked up a nail file and sighed to herself. "He's arrogant."

"Yeah, he gets that way. He just broke up with his boyfriend of seven years so he's been kind of off. Hey maybe you could come over for a game night sometime. You know, you two could try to get to know each other." She had to give Grace credit for trying, but she already disliked the man.

"Maybe, honey." She just left it at that.

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She closed her eyes as her husband made love to her. No, he wasn't making love to her. He was just screwing her, hoping to get himself off as he did so. He was heavy against her, for weighing so much, but warmth was building in her stomach so she didn't mind too much. She felt him shiver and fill her before he quickly pulled out, just as she was finding the edge of her feelings. He walked into the bathroom and she was left breathing heavily on the bed, groaning in frustration.

She hurriedly reached down her body to finish by herself. Her orgasm struck her, but it wasn't the same as if it were inflicted by another person. However, it still felt wonderful and she sighed when she was finished. She laid her head back and relaxed.

"Karen, get some clothes on. What would happen if one of the kids walked in and saw you like that?" He had dressed and was staring at her.

"Then they'd learn to knock." He was taken aback. Since when did she talk back to him like that? When he first met her she was very outspoken when it came to her opinion, but he soon tamed her when she agreed to marry him. It shocked him to hear a bit of the old her coming back.

"Get some clothes on." She rolled her eyes and pulled the blanket over her naked body. "That is not the same."

"Honey, don't you have anything better to do than pick on me?"

"What the hell has gotten in to you? Ever since you've started working at that office, you've been lippy. I won't have you talk to me like that, Karen." She sat up and looked angrily into his eyes, holding the blanket to her chest.

"You're my husband, not my father. Don't talk to _me_ like that." He returned her angry look, but didn't speak. For the first time in their marriage, he backed down from an argument. She smiled at the fact that maybe she had won and laid back down in the bed.

"I'm going out." He grabbed a clean change of clothes before he left the room. She felt oddly hurt by his gesture, even though she was furious at him. That was how she always felt after they had sex. He never waited for her, never cared whether or not she was satisfied. He just used her for his own pleasure and tossed her aside. She didn't remember the last time they had climaxed together. She didn't even remember the last time he had kissed her lips. That was such a disturbing thought to her. She didn't realize that marriage to a rich man meant so many things. All she wanted from life was happiness, and clearly she did not have it.

She sighed and stood from the bed to make herself a drink. She was still stark naked, but she didn't care. She felt good when she was naked, maybe free from confinement. She stood at the mini-bar and looked through the bottles. She used to only drink at social events, but recently she was drinking a lot more. It was difficult for her to get drunk anymore, but she loved the feeling of being tipsy. It made her feel like a different person, someone she liked. She took a swig from a bottle of vodka and sighed at the burning sensation in her throat. After allowing the feeling to settle, she walked back to her bed and sat down. Her plan was to drink herself to sleep, and that was exactly what she did. Stan never came home.


	3. Chapter 3

She met Jack McFarland after working for Grace for a few weeks. He was fabulous, and the best part, he thought she was fabulous too. They became close friends quickly and spent a lot of time together. She knew that the main reason for their fast friendship was her money, but she really liked him and she knew that he liked her too.

"So, Karebear, you should come to Will and Grace's for poker night." He jumped up and down before sitting on the edge of her desk. She still couldn't believe that Grace had broken up with her boyfriend and moved in with her gay best friend. It was so inappropriate.

"Karebear?"

"Is it okay if I call you that?" She smiled and thought back to the last time she had been given a nickname like that, so sweet. It was from her second husband, the love of her life.

"Well, if you have a nickname for me, honey, then I have to have one for you."

"Okay, like what?"

"I don't know." She shrugged and pushed a strand of hair from in front of his ear. "You need a haircut, honey. You're starting to have hair like a poodle." She giggled and met his eyes. "I'm going to start calling you Poodle. That's cute."

"I like it."

"Good, because we're going to my stylist and getting you a haircut." She stood from her chair and grabbed her purse from the coat rack. "Oh, damn it, I always forget that I can't leave when Grace isn't here." She sat back down and crossed her arms. "Having a job bites."

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"You invited her to my apartment? What the hell were you thinking?" Will was angry that Jack didn't even ask his permission before inviting Karen over to their poker night.

"Well, I like her and Grace likes her so why not?"

"Because I can't stand her, that's why."

"Will, she's just quirky. If you give her a chance then you'll like her too." Jack sat on the couch and opened one of Grace's magazines. "She's really generous too. She got me a haircut."

"She's trying to buy you, just like she's buying Grace. Taking you out to fancy restaurants, getting your nails done, going shopping, and she's brainwashing you into thinking that she's decent."

"You need to settle down, little missy. Just give her a chance." There was a knock on the door and Jack jumped to answer it. "Hi Karebear."

"Hi Poodle." They shared a peck on the lips and he invited her into the apartment, hanging her coat and purse on the hook for her. "Hello Will."

"Karen." He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine and three glasses he filled them and sat them on the table before getting Jack a glass of juice. Karen couldn't believe how rude he was to her. Jack shrugged and she walked over to the table to speak with Will.

"I, um, I like your apartment, honey."

"Thanks." She looked over to Jack again, but he only nodded to urge her on. He told her before that Will didn't like her at all and she needed to speak to him to fix their problem. She couldn't have cared much less, but Jack insisted that they all had to be friends so she was trying for him.

"So, you're a lawyer, huh?"

"Look, Karen, I know you're trying, but I don't really like you. We should just try to be civil until this night is over." She guessed that she kind of deserved the way that he was treating her, she did act the same way when they first met. She only nodded and he watched her walk away, wishing he could apologize for his harshness. He didn't know why he enjoyed fighting with her, but, oddly enough, he did. That was probably why he always tried to start arguments when they were around each other, calling her names and such. It was kind of fun.

Grace arrived and the group soon began playing poker. Will and Karen threw jabs at each other the whole evening, but it was all taken in good fun and no arguments broke out. That was, until Grace asked what she thought was a simple question.

"Jack, why don't you drink wine?"

"It stains his teeth." Will and Karen answered in unison. Their eyes met and both of them took it as some sort of a challenge.

"You've been friends with him for like a month and you think you know him now?"

"I never said that, honey. I just know what I know, I guess."

"Well, I've known him since college and you have no right to…"

"I have no right to what, know him?" Their voices were getting louder. "He can have more than one friend."

"Why are you getting so defensive?"

"You're the one who's getting jealous over nothing."

"You're a bitch."

"Fuck off, Wilma." She stood and walked towards the door, grabbing her coat and purse before walking out the door. Grace rolled her eyes as Jack went after Karen, closing the door behind him.

"Will, you just had to act like that didn't you?" His eyes widened and he shook his head in exasperation.

"She isn't all that innocent."

"I know, but you need to stop being such a jackass. Stop pitying yourself for Michael leaving and stop treating people like you're better than they are. You need to apologize to her." He hated to admit that she was right.


	4. Chapter 4

He knocked on the door at the Walker penthouse. He couldn't believe that he was there, apologizing to her. It sounded so ridiculous, but Grace and Jack both agreed that he was mostly to blame for their dislike of each other. He figured he at least owed it to them, if not to Karen herself. A maid answered the door and stared him up and down. He felt oddly intimidated.

"Hello. I'm looking for Karen." The maid stepped back and turned her head to yell.

"Miss Karen, you have a visitor!" She walked down the stairs and yelled at the maid, not even noticing her guest.

"Rosario, if I paid you to yell at me then we might as well be married! Get back to work!" She turned to the door and stopped in her tracks when she saw Will. She was embarrassed, for the first time in a while, that he was the one who had witnessed her yelling at the help. "What are you doing here, honey?"

"I came to talk to you."

"Oh." She bit her lip before stepping aside. "Come on in." She led him to her library and he sat down on her couch, nervous. He couldn't believe where he was, in her house, on her couch. Everything looked so expensive and he felt very out of place. She handed him a glass of wine and sat down with her own martini. She took a sip and leaned her head to the side, awaiting the reason for his presence.

"Okay. I'm here because I would like to apologize for the way I've been treating you." She scoffed and finished off her martini in one gulp before addressing his apology.

"Honey, I know that you don't like me. And Grace and Jack probably put you up to this."

"I really am sorry."

"No you're not. I know you like to argue with me, it gives you some sort of thrill." Before he could respond, a large man walked into the library and shuffled through his desk. He turned around and looked at their guest. "Stanly, this is Will Truman. He's Grace's best friend."

"Who the hell is Grace?" His voice was odd, like he expected her to know his question before it was even asked.

"Honey, she's my boss, remember?"

"Oh, yeah the woman." He laughed and shook Will's hand. "Karen, I'm leaving for the Bahamas. If you're capable, get Rosario to take care of the kids. You know you'd just screw it up." He patted her on the head and walked out the door, a maid following him with his suitcases. Karen closed her eyes and counted to ten in her head. Will witnessed the scene, but said nothing. He suddenly understood her a little bit more, for one reason or another.

"Anyway, I accept your apology. Thanks." She stood and refilled her martini glass, but he didn't move to leave.

"I know it's none of my business, but…doesn't it hurt your feelings when he treats you that way?"

"You're right, honey. It is none of your business." A small girl made her presence known by clearing her voice in the doorway. Will smiled and waved at the girl, who returned the gesture. "Will, this is Olivia. What do you need, honey?" She bent down to the girl's level and smiled.

"Where's Daddy?" The girl couldn't have been more than eleven years old and the look in her eyes saddened Will. He didn't expect to meet the whole family, he just wanted to apologize and go on his way.

"He didn't tell you goodbye?"

"No. Where did he go?" Karen stood to her full height and bit her lip. Stan hadn't even told his children goodbye before he left. "Another business trip, right?" Karen nodded. "Since he's gone, does that mean I can call you mom?" The girl smiled and Karen felt her heart melt. That was always Stan's rule, never call Karen 'mom.' It always made her feel loved by the children when they asked her questions like that.

"We can talk about it later, sweetie. Go upstairs and take your bath, okay?" The girl left and Karen turned to meet Will's astonished gaze. She shrugged. "Are we finished?"

"Yeah." He stood and began to walk past her, but for some reason he stopped. He met her confused gaze before quickly embracing her small frame. She froze at the sudden contact, especially from Will. "We should hang out sometime." He pulled away and looked into her eyes. "Maybe you're not that bad."

"Maybe I am." He caressed her cheek with his palm before walking towards the door, vaguely wondering when the last time that someone had touched her like that was. She placed her own hand where his had previously rested, so gentle.

"Mom!" She shook her head at the beckoning from upstairs. A smile couldn't help, but creep onto her face when the word was uttered. She loved the feeling of being called 'mom.' Her husband's absence was always welcomed. She wasn't sure if that made her want to smile or burst into tears.

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Weeks went by and Karen and Will had left their relationship as it was, maybe a little bit deeper. Life seemed gentler when Stan was away, and she caught herself making jokes and smiling whenever she was around her new friends. They were getting closer by the minute. The problem was he would be home soon. Only two more days until his flight arrived and it made her feel oddly sad. Then she felt horrible because she didn't want her husband to return home. What kind of wife was she if she didn't even want to see him?

Will came to Karen's manse to visit her. Her stepchildren weren't home from school yet so he knew that it was the best time to talk to her with no interruptions. She seemed a little sad when he had last seen her, and he wanted to make sure she was okay. He knocked on the door and waited for Rosario to open it. He was getting better known around the manse, as were Jack and Grace, so the maid allowed him to enter and find Karen on his own. He opened the door of the library to find her huddled on the couch, her head on her knees. She was crying, thinking that she was alone.

"Karen?" He closed the door as her head shot up to see who was intruding.

"What the hell do you want?" She wiped the tears from her face, but didn't stand. She always put on a mask in public and it angered her that he had so easily seen behind it. She should have been more careful.

"Are you crying?" His voice was soft and he walked over to sit next to her.

"No. What do you want?"

"Well, now I want to know what's wrong." She sniffled, and met his eyes.

"It's really stupid, honey. I don't even know why I'm so upset." She grabbed her bottle of vodka from the side table and took a sip. "He forgot my birthday. We've been married for six years and that son of a bitch still doesn't know when my birthday is."

"When was your birthday?"

"Today."

"Well, Karen, it's not even three o'clock yet. Maybe he'll call later." She shook her head and sniffled a little.

"I'm no fool, Will. He's not going to call." He kicked off his shoes and pulled his feet up on the couch as well, showing her that he was ready to listen. He was going to be a good friend and help her figure out a solution to her problem, as trivial as it seemed.

"Why don't you call him?"

"Let me tell you what he'd say if I called him. 'Karen, what the hell do you want? Karen, if you're bored, why don't you get off your ass and go shopping? Karen, stop letting the kids call you mom.' Why would I set myself up for that?" She took a long drink.

"Oh, Karen." He took the bottle from her hands and sat it on the floor before taking her in his arms. After a moment she succumbed to his arms and cried into his shoulder, her tears staining his tee-shirt. She had never been able to cry in front of anyone, but she somehow knew that he wouldn't tell. "You should talk to him when he comes home. Tell him how you feel."

"Like he gives a shit." She sniffled and pulled away from him, grabbing her vodka bottle from the floor.

"You'll never know unless you say something. He may not even notice that he's doing it. Trust me, talking to him will make you feel better."

"And what if it doesn't, honey?" She met his eyes and he shrugged.

"Then I'm always here if you need to vent. You can call me anytime." He smiled and waited for her to return the gesture, which she did.

"Thank you. And Will…"

"Don't worry. I won't tell." She placed her hand on his knee and took another sip of her vodka, her throat numbed to the burn. Suddenly, the door burst open and Olivia and Mason rushed into the room, holding report cards, and smiling.

"Mom, we both got on the honor role!"

"Oh, you guys, that's wonderful!" She sat her bottle on the table and pulled them both into a group hug. They smiled and giggled. "Let's go out for ice cream to celebrate." They agreed and hurried to put their backpacks in their bedrooms. Karen turned around to find Will smiling at her. "What, honey?"

"It's just fun to see you as a mother. You change yourself a lot when you're around them." She gave a short chuckle.

"Well, honey, get your shoes on. You're coming too, right?"


	5. Chapter 5

He had come home in the evening, two days after her birthday. He never called before he arrived, as she had predicted, but he was home. She wanted to be happy, but for some reason she just couldn't. She kept thinking back to what Will said. Should she really say something about the way that he treated her? It wasn't that bad, she'd seen worse. Instead of voicing her concerns she allowed him to pat her head in a greeting, and they went home.

"I'd like to make love." She nodded to his request and began taking off her jewelry. She kicked off her shoes and turned her back to Stan, who was sitting on the bed, so he could unzip her dress. She began to take it off when she sighed and turned to face him.

"Will you at least kiss me first?" He scoffed and took off his shirt, unbuckling his pants as well.

"Why would you want to waste time with pointless things? Let's just do it." She bit her lip and took her clothes off, barely fazed by his remark. She didn't know why he never kissed her anymore, but it definitely made it more difficult for her to make love to him. She wanted to feel connected to his soul, not just his pelvis.

She lay down on the bed and waited for him, hoping for it to be better than usual. Once his clothes were removed, he positioned himself on top of her and reached down her body to touch her. He pushed his finger inside her and moved it until she was wet enough for him. She was at least thankful that he prepared her body instead of just plowing into her. He didn't want to physically harm her.

He began to make love to her, but she only sighed and closed her eyes. She could never look at him. He hovered over her and held her legs open by her thighs, holding her still. She wouldn't have moved anyway. She didn't feel much of anything when she was with him. How could she?

He sped up the pace, and she felt warmth beginning to build in her stomach. It was happening sooner than ever and she felt excitement surge through her veins. Maybe he could actually bring her to the edge. She tried her hardest to slow him down, wrapping her arms around his neck and trying to touch his shoulder with her lips. He only pushed her away, making her lie still beneath him. He came inside of her and pulled out.

"Damn it!" She cursed as he hurried to the bathroom. She finished herself off, as usual and sighed. She was so tired of the same routine every time. It seemed to end faster and faster each time they were together. She had to wonder how he could possibly find pleasure in such a short amount of time, she couldn't understand. He returned to their bedroom, dressed in his pajamas.

"Get some clothes on." She shot him a look of dissatisfaction. "What?"

"Nothing." Her voice was bitter and she stood to find a pair of pajamas. She went to the bathroom and returned to find him under the covers, reading a book. She decided to address the issue of their intimate life, one of the many. "Stan, why don't you ever wait for me?"

"What are you complaining about now?" He rolled his eyes, which only angered her more.

"You never get me off."

"Well, I get off just fine. Maybe there's something wrong with you." He lifted his book back in front of his face, but she rushed over to him. She snatched it from his hands and tossed it on the table.

"I'm serious, honey. You treat me like shit and I don't know how much longer I can take it." He hurriedly stood from the bed, towering over her.

"What are you going to do, leave me?"

"What if I did?"

"You'd fall flat on your ass and come running back." He patted her cheek and sat back down on the bed. "Get to sleep."

"Why don't you kiss me anymore?"

"Why don't you shut up anymore?" She scoffed and walked to her side of the bed, picking up her pillow and a bottle of gin. "Where are you going?"

The only response he received was the slamming of their bedroom door. She walked down the hallway to the guest bedroom and opened the door, slamming it behind her. She crawled into the bed and opened the cap of her bottle. She brought it to her lips and hurriedly attempted to drain it. The alcohol seemed to stop the tears, and Karen Walker didn't cry. For her sanity, she couldn't.

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"Poodle, what do you think of adultery?" She took a sip of her martini and cocked her head to the side.

"Why? Are you having an affair?"

"Of course not, honey. I just wanted to know what you think." He smiled and leaned his elbows on her desk.

"Kare, monogamy is for lesbians." She laughed at his comment, as it was unexpected. But it was also slightly confusing. She wanted him to tell her that it was wrong and people shouldn't think about it. She needed to stop thinking about it.

"You're too cute." He leaned forward and pecked her lips, comforting her in a strange way. "You know, you're the only one who kisses me?" She wished she had stopped drinking before then. She was tipsy and her lips were forming words before her mind could stop them.

"What about Stan?"

"No." She finished her martini and cleared her voice. She smiled and took his hand in hers. "How would you like a new pair of shoes?"


	6. Chapter 6

It was two o'clock in the morning and Karen was fast asleep in her bed. Stan had given her a bracelet and asked her to come back to their bed, surprising her. He must have been feeling guilty, but she liked that. His guilt was the reason she accepted the bracelet and his invitation. And she was there again, in his bed. Suddenly, the door swung open and a small form rushed over to Karen's side of the bed and shook her.

"What?" She woke quickly, and the sudden motion frightened her.

"I had a bad dream." Olivia was in tears and she was holding a teddy bear tightly in her arms.

"Oh, honey, come here." She pulled the covers back and allowed the little girl to cuddle close to her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. I just needed you." She pulled the young girl closer and kissed her cheek. Her heart felt warm at the confession.

"It's going to be alright, Curly." Stan quickly sat up in bed.

"Karen, who the hell are you talking to?"

"It's just Olivia. She had a bad dream." She uttered her response as she ran her hands through the girl's hair, an attempt to lull her back to sleep. He rolled his eyes and flipped the covers off his wife and daughter. "What are you doing?"

"She doesn't need to sleep in here with us, she's ten years old."

"Stanly she's scared, and she's eleven."

"I wanted mom." He met Karen's eyes with rage. He hated it when they called her that and all of them knew it. Olivia could've hit herself for accidentally using the word, it just slipped.

"Take her to bed, and I don't ever want to hear her say that again!" Karen helped the girl stand from the bed and grabbed her pillow. "Aren't you coming back?"

"Fuck off." She spent the night sharing Olivia's bed, comforting her until she could sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Karen, you want to come over for a poker night tonight?" She met Grace's eyes with a smile. She hadn't joined in on one of their poker nights for a while, and she needed some fun.

"Sure, honey. What time?"

"Right after work, if you want to just come home with me."

"That sounds like fun. Count me in."

----------

"Ha! I win." Karen giggled as she grabbed the dollar bills from the center of the pile. Will, Jack, and Grace all groaned and sat back in their seats.

"Karen, you're worth so much money. Why don't you stop taking ours?" Grace stood from the table to refill all of their glasses.

"Honey, I don't cash my paychecks. Count that as a win for you."

"Well, I have to go home." Jack stood from his seat and kissed Karen's lips in a form of goodbye. "I'll talk to you ladies tomorrow." He walked out the door and hurried down the stairs to get a cab. He lived across town with a roommate and decided to make the long trip a little earlier than usual. They had been joking and playing poker for hours and he was sleepy.

"Okay, I'll deal. Who's in?" Karen began shuffling cards, but Grace shook her head.

"I'm going to go to bed. I have a meeting at seven tomorrow." They said their goodnights to Grace and she went to bed.

"Well, honey, it's just you and me. You want to keep playing?"

"Not for money, I'm poor." They laughed and she finished off another glass of wine, she had stopped counting at her fourth glass.

"We could play strip poker, though I'm not sure what we'd get out of it." She put the cards back in their box as Will went to the kitchen.

"Are you hungry? I have salsa and chips." She stood from her chair and made her way to sit on the couch, wine bottle in hand.

"No thanks, honey, I don't want onion breath."

"Leftover fruit platter from earlier?"

"That's more like it." They sat on the couch and ate fruit. The conversation wasn't very deep, but made up of laughter. It was a rarity that she and Will could get together and just make jokes. He usually enjoyed asking questions. At first she thought he was nosey, but she soon discovered that he was only caring for his friends.

"So, how have things been with Stan?" She sighed and he immediately regretted the question. He should have just kept his mouth closed. They were having a wonderful evening and he felt like he just wrecked it.

"Things never change between us, honey."

"Did you talk to him about what we talked about?"

"Yes. He blew me off and I started sleeping in the guest bedroom. He bought me jewelry and now we're back to the way it was."

"Wow. What are you going to do?"

"I'm not divorcing him, if that's what you're implying. I think I'll just ride the wave. He'll go on another business trip and the kids and I will be fine for a while." She took a sip of her wine that was previously abandoned on the table and shrugged. "He doesn't even kiss me anymore. That's what pisses me off the most."

"I don't know what to say, Kare. I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing, honey. It isn't your fault. I'm just a foolish woman, hoping for a foolish display of affection." She finished her glass of wine and sat it back on the table. Will leaned forward and hugged her. She didn't even hesitate to respond. "Maybe I'll just have an affair." He chuckled and pulled back to look into her eyes, finding that she wasn't laughing. He gave her a sympathetic look while bringing his hand to her cheek, caressing her skin. Her eyes seemed to sparkle when she looked at him.

He slowly leaned closer to her face, their lips only inches apart. She could feel his breath and closed her eyes. Their lips connected and a spark flew, gently grazing them with a flame. The kiss was quick, chaste almost. They broke apart with a deep breath and looked into each other's eyes, wondering what it would feel like to do it again, less innocently.

She hurriedly pressed her lips against his again and he took her face in his hands. Her tongue tapped his lips and he allowed her entrance. It was an odd feeling to be kissed the way he was kissing her, sensually, and soon she found herself on her back with him in between her legs. He ran his hand up her thigh, his fingers playing with the lace of her control tops. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, enjoying the feeling of being touched so gently, being allowed to touch back. Stan never touched her like that. Suddenly, at the thought of her husband, she pulled away and met his eyes, breathlessly.

"Are you okay?"

"No, honey, I should go." Their voices came in whispers and he sat up on his knees, helping her get up by taking her hands in his. She grabbed her purse and coat before turning around, finding him facing her. "Thank you." She left another gentle kiss on his lips before she walked out the door. He was left to wonder for what exactly she was thanking him.


	7. Chapter 7

She walked into Stan's office without knocking, expecting to find him at his computer. She wanted to tell him that she and the kids were going school shopping, and he shouldn't wonder where they were, if he would even notice they were gone. To her astonishment, she found him with his head down on his desk.

"Are you alright, honey?" Her voice was soft, caring, and his head shot up to meet her hazel eyes. He had tears falling down his cheeks.

"You didn't knock." She gave him a sympathetic look and walked over to comfort him. After all, he was her husband. She should be there for him if he needed to talk.

"What's wrong?" She leaned close to his face and wiped a tear from his cheek with her thumb. He met her eyes, seeming so fragile.

"Kathy was in a car accident. She's dead." Kathy was his first wife, the woman Karen could never live up to. She divorced him because he was having an affair, and Karen could always tell that he still loved her deeply.

"Oh, God. Do the kids know?"

"No." He sniffled a little and she hugged him, wanting to pass comfort to his mind. He pushed her away, startling her. "I have some paperwork to do. Tell the kids for me."

"What? That's not…"

"Just do it. You want to be their mother so badly, here's your chance." He stood from his chair and took her arm in his hand, leading her from the room. Once he pushed her out the door, he closed it and locked it behind her. He then sat back at his desk and continued to cry.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hello?" Will answered his cell phone at midnight, not even looking at the caller ID.

"Honey, I need to talk." He sat up straight in his bed and listened as she told him about the passing of the children's mother. She had taken them school shopping and they had each gotten a small gift for being so well behaved. After taking them to get milkshakes, she brought them home and sat them on the couch. She told them about Kathy and they immediately burst into tears. She was so hurt by the fact that they were devastated and she couldn't do anything to make them feel better. She had finally gotten them to sleep, her blouse was tearstained, and she needed someone to talk to. "I don't know where Stan went. He wasn't here when we got home, that coward. He couldn't even tell his own children."

"I'm coming over."

"No, you don't have to. I just needed someone to talk to."

"I have the day off tomorrow. Do you want me to come over then?" She smiled at his persistence, and finished her bottle of alcohol.

"Yeah, Kathy's parents are coming to get the kids so I'll be here alone. How does eleven sound?"

"I'll be there."

"Thank you, honey. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Kare."


	8. Chapter 8

Weeks had passed by, Kathy's funeral with them, and life was taking a new sense of normal for Karen's family, the children. Naturally, they loved their mother and they missed her. Karen had done everything in her power to make them feel better, reminding them of good times and their happiness. It was greatly appreciated by the children, but Stan grew more and more frustrated.

"Where are you going, honey?" She caught him before he walked out the door. He would sneak out and wouldn't return until the next afternoon. A normal wife would have suspected an affair, but Karen had Private Detective following Stan's every move. She normally didn't use the particular member of her staff, but with him sneaking out she took no chances. She received the report that he would first visit Kathy's grave and then he would go to his office and work until he fell asleep. Then he would wake up and work until five o'clock. He would come home for a few hours for more sleep and leave again, repeating the process.

"I'm going out."

"I know that, but where?"

"Karen, I'm going out." His words were harsh so she didn't speak as he walked out of their home. She picked up her phone and dialed Will's number. He was soon on his way to visit her.

They had gotten closer than ever during the tragedy that had taken place. Her home life was scattered and she needed a way to get away from the sadness. Jack would always make her laugh, fondling with her and telling jokes. Grace was just fun. It was easy to get along with her and they drank together, often. But there was something different about Will. He seemed to be just as confused about life as she was, they were able to relate.

When asked, he would talk about his life. He had never found a woman who he could be with without feeling awkward, like they didn't fit together. He couldn't marry Grace. He loved her so much, but he couldn't fall for her. When he met Michael he felt things change. He had fallen in love, but it didn't last. He began questioning his life, whether or not he would ever just be loved. He had gone so long looking for a man that he had given up on everything else, but he decided to let love find him. If it was meant to happen, it would. He just hoped it was soon. He just wanted someone to hold at night.

"I think they're feeling better now. They're with her parents tonight." She was laying her head across his lap and he was running his hands through her hair. His attention was sweet and she enjoyed the feeling.

"How long has it been since you went out and just had fun?" She smiled and sat up to face him.

"A while. Why? Do you want to go out with me?"

"Well, I'm not going to be your girlfriend, but yes I'd like to go out with you." She giggled and pushed his arm. He looked into her eyes, but frowned.

"What's wrong, honey?" She began feeling self-conscious.

"You're pupils are huge. Are you on something?" She scoffed and stood from the couch, trying to get away from his question.

"I took a couple of painkillers. My back has been hurting from sleeping in the guest room." She bit her lip, wishing she hadn't said anything. It wasn't his problem, yet she continued to speak about it.

"Oh." He stood and walked over to her. "Well, get a pair of shoes on. I'm taking you to dinner."

"Why don't we just watch some movies here? We can eat whatever is in the fridge."

They had watched a chick flick, but made fun of it the whole time. It was soon discovered that they had the same tastes in movies. She showed him to the kitchen to make a couple of sandwiches. Rosario hadn't gone shopping so they chose to just snack on some cocktail olives. She sat the jar on the counter and popped one in her mouth. He walked up behind her and placed his head on her shoulder, bringing his hands around to rest on her stomach.

"Can I have one?" She smiled to herself and took an olive from the jar, slowly bringing it to his lips.

"They remind me of martinis." She smiled and ate another. He chuckled and hugged her tighter.

"You and your martinis, it's a personality trait." She giggled and put her fingers in the jar. "Can I have another?" His voice sent chills down her spine, and she placed it in his mouth. She felt her fingers slide into his mouth as he took the olive. She took a deep breath as he kissed her fingertips, wondering when that became sensual to her. He slowly ran one of his hands up her stomach, but she took it in her own and boldly ran it over her breasts. She sighed and he leaned over to kiss her neck, his tongue playing with her skin. She leaned her head back and ran her hand through his hair, pressing herself into his pelvis. She pulled his head away from her neck by his hair and kissed him hard on the mouth. He quickly turned her around until their stomachs touched and he backed her into the counter. She reached for the belt of his pants. Suddenly he pulled away and looked into her eyes. "You're married."

"You're gay." She pecked his lips and connected their eyes. "Let's be hypocrites together." Neither of them moved for a moment, obviously thinking about their current situation. He wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and kissed her again, reigniting the flame that had sparked between them. It was magical.

She unbuckled his pants and pushed them down his legs as their tongues fought. She lifted his shirt from his body and felt him unzipping the back of her dress. It was as if they couldn't wait to feel their skin brush against each other. They didn't break the kiss as he slid her dress from her body, the thin fabric hitting her feet at the floor. He pushed her thong down her legs and she was left in her bra only. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and he lifted her onto the counter, pushing the open olive jar to the side. He was quick to mount her and she pushed his boxers down his legs with her feet. She reached down their bodies and took him in her hand before guiding him into her.

She sighed heavily at their abrupt closeness. He was much bigger than her husband and it was shocking. He kissed her, his tongue exploring every part of hers in a sensual way. Their connection was tight, and he sighed as he pulled out before slowly pushing back in. She felt as if she had suddenly come alive, for the first time in years. It felt so good to be consumed by him. Their breathing became heavier and she wrapped her legs tight around his waist, pulling him deep. His lips were on her neck, biting and sucking her soft skin as she ran her fingernails down his back.

He reached behind her and unclasped her bra, after a few tries. His hand caressed one of her bare breasts, his thumb sliding over her nipple, before he reached her hip. He was touching every inch of her body he could reach, wanting the moment to be burned in his memory forever. Their stomach muscles flexed tightly together. He took her lips with his, something she could never get enough of, and she felt her orgasm nearing. She arched her back to feel herself closer to him, against him, causing him to hit the perfect spot inside her.

She loved the sounds of his breathing, the way his hands felt on her burning skin. He was so gentle, but, at the same time, passionate. He leaned more of his weight on her as he sped up the pace once again. His hands gripped her thighs, near her buttocks, and she bit her lip in anticipation before he kissed her again.

She moaned into his mouth as warmth spread throughout her stomach and all the way to her toes, her fingertips. She was completely weak beneath him and she could feel her body sliding back and forth on the marble counter as she clung to him. He continued to move as he came, and her shoulder pushed against the olive jar, sending it sailing to the ground to shatter into pieces. He continued to move throughout the last waves of pleasure before he stopped and collapsed on top of her, making sure not to crush her.

"Oh, Karen…" He sighed into her neck before finding her lips in a sweet kiss. She ran her hands through his hair and held him close, never wanting to let go. She broke their kiss and moved her lips to his ear, whispering.

"Honey, stay with me tonight. Please." He kissed her neck and ran his hand through her hair. They slept in her guest bedroom, never breaking the barrier of her marriage bed, only breaking the barrier of her faithfulness to her marriage.


	9. Chapter 9

He awoke to small kisses being placed along his jaw line. It had been so long since somebody had waked him in such a loving way that it startled him. His eyes sprang open and Karen looked up to smile at him. She was barely wearing any makeup, worn off from the night before, and her skin looked so pale, soft. He reached his hand up to cup her cheek.

"Good morning, honey." She placed a soft kiss to his bottom lip and moved so she was on top of him, her legs on either side of his hips. He could feel her nakedness brushing against him and it sent a shiver down his spine.

"Karen, last night was…"

"Genius." She connected their smiles with another kiss and ran a hand through his hair. "But, honey, I don't want it to just be last night. I wan to keep seeing you."

"You're married, and I'm gay."

"That's why we have to be careful. We can go to a hotel or wait until Grace leaves your apartment, but I can't do it here. Not with Stan and the kids living here." He ran his hands down her body, resting his palms on her hips. He could tell how much she had thought about it.

"You don't mean a relationship between us. You mean an affair, fuck buddies." She shrugged and tilted her head to the side.

"Yes, if that's the way you want to look at it."

"We can't."

"Why not?"

"Because it just isn't right." He tried to push her off him, but she stayed firm. "Karen, normal people don't do this kind of thing."

"How do you separate wrong from right?" He stopped moving beneath her, awaiting an explanation. "Stan treats me like shit, and I'm lonely, right. The love of your life left you for someone else, and you're lonely, right."

"Get to the point."

"I want you, honey. I want someone to kiss me and hold me and tell me that I'm not worthless. What do you want? Think about what I can give you." He thought for a moment. She did have a point. Life always seemed too short to over-think everything and he was tired of being so lonely.

"We can't expect more from this than it is. We are just two friends who are having sex, right?"

"Exactly, honey. No strings attached, and nobody has to know." He sighed and rolled over so that he was on top of her. He kissed her and she pulled herself close.

"Well, then, be at my apartment tonight. Grace has a date."

"I'll be there at eight."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Where were you last night, hot stuff?" Grace smiled as Will walked through the door of their apartment. He normally didn't go out on Friday nights so she received a shock when he didn't return home until one o'clock on Saturday afternoon.

"I was just out." He hung up his coat and left his shoes by the door.

"Oh, come on. You were having sex weren't you? You met a man." She giggled and rushed over to him, playfully poking his arm.

"I was just out, Grace." She rolled her eyes, but suddenly narrowed them, looking at the skin beneath the unbuttoned part of his shirt.

"You have a hickey, you liar." His hand hurried to cover his neck, a blush creeping onto his cheeks.

"Alright, so I had sex, but it was just a one night stand. I met him when I left the bar, and I'm not seeing him again." He walked to the kitchen to get himself a glass of lemonade, attempting to ignore Grace's prodding.

"Well, look at you, you little slut."

"Very funny. What time is your date picking you up tonight?"

"Why? Are you having a swinger's party?" He gave her a look that showed her he wasn't at all amused. "He'll be here at seven and I'll be spending the night with him."

"Now look who the slut is."

"At least I'm getting dinner first."


	10. Chapter 10

Karen stepped out of the bathtub and began rubbing sweet-smelling lotion all over her body. She felt so alive, at peace with the world. Stan wasn't home yet, but she didn't care. He wasn't her top priority anymore. She began to wonder why she ever let him control her the way that he did. It wasn't fair, and it was time to become the old Karen. She belonged to nobody.

She stepped into a black, lacey thong and clasped a matching bra. Her stockings matched her lingerie too perfection, the lace contrasting with her pale, smooth skin. She had experienced a sexual awakening with Will. It was as if he was all she needed to find herself again.

She slipped into a deep red, knee-length dress before walking over to her mirror and drying her hair, flipping out the ends with her curling iron. She applied her makeup, smearing a rouge tinted gloss over her lips. She smiled at her reflection, but suddenly felt guilt in her stomach. She looked down at her left hand, her wedding ring sparkling in the light. Could she really be doing this? She didn't like the idea of being heartless, and hurting Stan was definitely walking that line.

She shook her head, telling herself that she deserved it. After years of being treated poorly by her husband, she deserved to be pleased. She opened the cabinet behind the mirror, taking out a bottle of pills for pain. Stan's name was on the label, but she didn't care. He wouldn't notice and she needed a little high to clear her mind. She popped three into her mouth before swallowing them without water.

"Mom?" Olivia knocked on the door of Karen's bathroom. She smiled and opened the door, greeting the little redheaded girl. "Mason hit me."

"Well, honey, you're bigger than him. Hit him back."

"No, he'll run to Daddy and then I'll get yelled at." She sighed and walked into the bathroom, sitting on the steps of the bathtub. Karen walked back over to the mirror and found her perfume in the cabinet. "You look pretty. Where are you going?"

"I'm going to a friend's house tonight."

"Will's?" Karen turned around to look at the little girl, her tube of lip gloss in hand.

"Why would you think that?" She shrugged, meeting her stepmother's eyes.

"I heard Daddy telling Grandma that you and Will spend so much time together that, if he wasn't gay, you'd be lovers. What are lovers?" Karen felt the hair on the back of her neck nervously rise. It was amazing to hear the things that children absorb. She leaned down and met the girl's eyes, putting some gloss on her small lips.

"Lovers are two people who make love."

"Is making love like having sex." Karen's eyes widened and she was left speechless. "You don't have to freak out. It's not a big deal." She stood and began to walk away, but Karen grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit back down.

"You're eleven years old, what the hell do you know about sex?"

"I'm almost twelve, and I only know what they told us in that stupid class at school." Karen looked into her stepdaughter's eyes. It was only moments before that she was complaining that her little brother had hit her and suddenly she was talking about sex. It was as if she had grown up in the few minutes she had accompanied Karen in the bathroom. She looked at her little face, the rouge lip gloss shining. She wiped it off with her thumb; she was suddenly too young for that kind of thing.

"We can talk about this later, if you want. And, honey, tell your father that I do not have a lover."

----------

He collapsed on top of her sweaty, naked body, gasping to catch his breath. Her arms and legs were tightly gripping his smooth frame. They had made love once when she arrived to his apartment and somehow they had found the urge to do it again before she left. Each time was much better than it had been their first time, on her kitchen counter. It lasted longer when they were in the comfort of his bed, and it was much more mind-blowing.

He pulled out of her body and rolled off of her. She felt her skin prickle as his warmth left her. She took a deep breath and he took her hand in his, feeling her grip tighten instantly. He looked down at their intertwined hands, noticing that she had taken off her wedding ring. She turned to look at him, following his gaze, but leaving the thought unspoken.

"I have to go, honey." She sat up on the side of the bed and found her panties, sliding them up her legs. She stood from the bed and clasped her bra behind her back, his eyes following her every move. He never thought that a woman would turn him on the way that she did, but she was definitely extraordinary. She stepped into her dress and made sure everything was situated before she leaned down and kissed him on the lips, his tongue quickly finding hers. She pulled away and smiled.

"I'll call tomorrow."

"I'll answer." She picked up her purse from the bedside table and walked out his bedroom door, a small smile on her lips.


	11. Chapter 11

She had finished a bottle of vodka, alone, while sitting on her balcony. The sun was setting and the sky was turning different shades of pink and orange, softening into blue and purple. It was the story of her life, sunny one minute, but completely dark the next. She leaned her head back against the cushion of the chair to get some relaxation until she heard shouting from downstairs. She stayed perfectly still, trying to hear what was being said, and by whom.

She heard Stan's large, booming voice yelling at his son, and she hurriedly stood from her chair. She steadied herself before quickly making her way out of the room. When she reached the bottom of the stairs her heart seemed to drop. Stan was yelling loudly in his son's face, his shoulders in his hands. He was shaking him to emphasize his point, not physically hurting him, but he was scared and crying.

"Stanly, get your hands off of him." Karen rushed to them and pried his hands away from Mason, who fled the scene. He was quick to turn his anger towards her, but she was prepared and stood her ground.

"What the fuck is your problem? I was punishing my son!"

"You could do it without putting your hands on him!" She hardened her gaze and began to walk away, but he grabbed her wrist in his hand. He squeezed too hard. Her body was quickly whipped around to face him, her stomach lurching from the excessive amount of consumed alcohol. "You can take your hands off of me too." Her voice was cold and, oddly, he obeyed and let go. Her wrist was throbbing from where he so hastily pulled her, but she wouldn't give him that knowledge. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and went upstairs. She grabbed her phone from the table by her bed and began to dial.

"Hello?"

"Palace hotel, meet me in an hour." She hung up after he agreed and walked to her bathroom to take a quick shower.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Karebear, what happened to your wrist?" Jack took her hand in his and pulled up her long sleeve to examine the bruise, but she hurriedly pulled it away.

"It's nothing, honey."

"That is something, it's blue. Look at it." He took her hand again, but she pulled back, more forcefully than before.

"I got it caught in something, okay?" He knew she was lying, but he didn't push forward with his questions. She had been acting differently lately, and he didn't want her to completely close him out. She wasn't one to talk about her feeling, but something was definitely on her mind. Grace walked into the office, and their conversation was completely dropped, unlikely to be resumed.

"You can take your lunch if you want, Kare." Grace placed her purse on her cluttered desk and smiled to her assistant. Karen stood and looked to Jack as she grabbed her things.

"I'll buy you lunch, Poodle." He shook his head.

"No, I think I'll just hit the gym. There's this really cute guy there, and I think he's going to ask me out."

"Oh, well, call me after. We can have dinner sometime."

"Okay. Love you." He pecked her lips and she left, smiling. Jack closed the door behind her and turned to meet Grace's eyes.

"What?"

"Did you see her wrist?" He dramatically flailed his arms and walked over to her. She shook her head and he sighed. "She has a bruise all around her wrist. She said she got it caught in something, but I don't believe her. I think Stan did it."

"Are you kidding?" Grace's tone was one of disbelief. "She is not the type of woman who let's a man beat on her Jack."

"But she's changed a lot since she started working here."

"It's been like eight months. We're still getting to know her."

"Maybe you are, but she and I are like sisters. I'm telling you, Grace, something is different. Have you seen how she drinks?" Grace began to think. If something was wrong then Karen would have told them right? They were her friends. "If you ask me, we need to invite ourselves over to her manse for dinner tomorrow night. She never lets me come over to her house when Stan or the kids are home. I've never even met them, have you?"

"No, I haven't. But Will has, so maybe it's just the way it happened."

"It's not. Something is going on inside her head."


	12. Chapter 12

Her heart pounded in her chest and she took a deep breath, taking one more pain pill from her medicine cabinet. Will, Jack, and Grace had somehow invited themselves over for dinner. Jack and Grace were so persistent that she didn't have the time to tell them no. Cook was making a very precocious meal, and she had tried her hardest to find a way to get Stan out of the house, but she had no luck. He seemed oddly delighted, maybe falsely, and he was currently in his bathroom getting ready for their guests. She only hoped he didn't pick a fight in front of her friends. She wasn't sure how to handle a situation like that.

"Hi kids." Rosario opened the door and they made their way in as Karen walked to greet them. They handed their coats to the maid and soon were all seated at the dinner table. Karen had insisted that Mason and Olivia joined them, sitting on either side of Stanly at the table. The conversation began slowly, but it soon picked up and they were all joking like old friends. Karen was surprised at how differently Stan was acting, as if he wanted to make a good impression on her friends. However, a good thing never lasted too long in the Walker mansion.

"Karen, don't laugh. It's embarrassing." Stan's words cut the laughter in the room, but Grace tried to keep the joke flowing. She wanted all of them to have a good time.

"I don't think that means they're lovers." Grace responded to a stupid comment made by Jack. They all vaguely laughed again, except Karen, and Olivia turned to her father.

"Daddy I forgot to tell you. Mom says that she doesn't have a lover." Her voice was quiet, but loud enough for the guests at the table to fall silent. Stan's eyes met Karen's and she felt a chill run up her spine. She silently told him 'not now.'

"Kids, go to bed." They complied and hurried up the stairs, whispering goodnight to Karen. "I think it's time for our guests to leave."

"Stanly, can't we do this later?" She smiled, hoping that her friends weren't too uncomfortable. Her heart was racing.

"No, we can't do this later." He stood and threw his napkin on the table, no longer caring who heard what he had to say. "I told you not to let them call you 'Mom' and you still don't obey me." She became enraged and stood as well, looking at him from across the table.

"You are my husband, not my father. I don't have to _obey_ you."

"You will as long as you live in my house."

"My name is on the papers too, Stan."

"That's only because you were good at giving head." Silence filled the air, she was hurt and embarrassed. How could he talk to her like that, especially in front of her friends? She bit her lip and turned away from his eyes. He just had to do it. He had to degrade her, all the time. She couldn't help, but cower as she sat back down in her chair, taking a sip of her wine. Stan went upstairs, presumably to bed, but she didn't care. She didn't even want to be in the same room as him.

"He isn't always like that, is he?" Grace broke the silence with the sweetness of her voice, placing her hand over her friend's. She had never actually met Karen's husband, but she definitely did not like what she saw. It hurt her to hear someone she loved being talked to like that. Karen's eyes met hers, she seemed cold.

"He's just stressed, honey."

"He still shouldn't take it out on you."

"Well, he did. Who wants a refill?" She stood from her seat and walked into the kitchen for another bottle of wine. Jack hurriedly turned to Grace.

"I told you."

----------

While Jack and Grace continued their conversation, Will walked into the kitchen to check on Karen. He knew that she was feeling ashamed, but he wanted her to know that she had no reason to be. They were all friends, and they wouldn't judge her. If anything, they would try their hardest to help her. He was stunned to find her hovering over the sink, the water running and tears falling from her eyes.

"Karen?" She stopped crying instantly and wiped her tears, turning off the water. She didn't turn around, knowing that his eyes would search hers for an answer, an answer that she didn't have.

"I want you to fuck me tonight." Her voice was soft, too much for the words she had chosen. He walked over to her and turned her around to face him.

"Where do you want to meet?" She shrugged and met his eyes, her vision distorted from the amount of alcohol she had consumed at dinner.

"It doesn't matter, honey. I just want to be touched." He looked around to make sure that nobody could see them before he leaned down and kissed her lips. "I don't give head." He nodded.

"I'll get us a hotel room and then I'll call you." She pecked his lips again before plastering a fake smile on her face and returning to her guests. Will was left feeling sad for her. He only wished something good would happen in her life, giving her a break from her problems.


	13. Chapter 13

Karen walked into Will's apartment and straight to his bedroom. Grace had gone to visit her parents and Will had faked an illness, hoping to spend some alone time with Karen. She opened his door and closed it behind her. She turned around, expecting to see him sitting on his bed. He stood in front of her, face to face, stark naked.

"Honey, what are you doing?" She laughed before he leaned forward to kiss her lips. He pulled back and looked into her sparkling, hazel eyes.

"I'm waiting for you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and giggled as he pulled her close to his chest. He kissed her neck and she smiled wider, running her hands through his hair. She backed him towards the bed, and they fell together, her landing on top of him.

"Let me make it worth the wait." Her lips found his in a deep kiss as she kicked off her shoes, placing her knees on both sides of his naked body. Her tongue slipped in between his lips as he unbuttoned the front of her shirt, sliding it from her shoulders. They hadn't been together in a couple of days, unable to find the time, and it was a great excitement to get back to one another.

She stood from the bed, leaving his body feeling barer than before, but it soon warmed when she slid her skirt down her legs. She slid her wedding band off and placed it in her shoe. A smile formed on her lips as she removed her thong and straddled him once again. She leaned forward to kiss him as he ran his hands over her back, finding her bra and unclasping it in a quick motion.

They were both completely exposed to the dim lighting of the room. She pulled away from his lips and sat upright, taking his hands in hers. She used his hands as support as she raised her hips and allowed him to enter her body. Synchronistic sighs echoed in their ears, and she began to move.

Their laced hands were white-knuckled when she quickened the pace. They never took too much time for foreplay; it could only go so far before there was a need for certain closeness. She changed her movement, moving more front to back, as his hands let go of hers to run over her back, her buttocks. She massaged his stomach, near their connection, with one hand while the other rested behind her on his thigh.

Her cell phone rang in her purse, discarded by the bedroom door, but neither of them skipped a beat. Pleasure began to slowly overtake their bodies, building in their stomachs. She leaned her head back and sighed heavily, his body so hard between her legs. In between breaths he whispered her name, only once, causing her to softly smile before biting her lower lip.

She leaned down, feeling the need to kiss his lips. Their tongues coiled around each other as her orgasm began to spill over within, causing her to begin shivering. He reached down the length of their bodies and touched her, near their connection. She gasped at the suddenness of his action and shivered harder on top of him, practically convulsing. He reached the same level of pleasure and moaned into her mouth, holding her close with his free arm. When she felt that they were both through she stopped moving, taking a deep breath and resting her head on his chest. He pulled his hand away from her opening and hugged her with both arms. She felt the wetness of his fingers on her back and she turned to kiss his chest, making her way back up to his lips.

They kissed deeply as he rolled them over. She wrapped her legs around his waist, maintaining their tight union. He ran his hand down the side of her body, stopping to caress her outer thigh as he moved his lips down her neck. She loved it when he did that. He found her lips once again before he pulled out, lying down beside her on the bed. They were suddenly left at the most uncomfortable moment of their relationship, as soon as he pulled away. Neither of them was ever sure of what to say, how to begin a conversation.

"You're incredible." Will chose to break the silence at that point, sensing the need for words. She smiled, fully aware of the fact that she didn't have to speak first.

"Only with you, honey." She turned to face him and he surprised her by meeting her lips with his. She broke the kiss and stood from the bed, her legs still slightly shaking. He watched her naked form walk over to her purse and take out her phone, checking the missed call. She sighed, bringing her phone back to the bed, lying close to Will. "It was the house."

The words hung in the air. It was bad enough that they were having an affair, but it was difficult to justify it when her stepchildren called her. She dialed her voicemail and placed the phone to her ear. When she placed the phone on the bedside table, Will spoke, wondering how long she would be able to stay in his arms.

"Is everything okay?"

"I have to go, honey." She began to get up once again, finding her scattered clothes.

"What's wrong?"

"Mason said that Stan left them home alone. Rosario is at the store" She clasped her bra and slid her shirt along her skin, hurrying to button it. He stood as well, finding some clothes to wear. "What are you doing, Will?" He turned to find her facing him, fully clothed.

"I am your friend. I was planning on spending the evening with you." She grabbed her cell phone, shoes, and purse before turning back to him. He was still questioningly staring at her.

"Well, damn it, stop standing there and get your pants on." He smiled and quickly finished dressing. They both rushed from the room, hurrying to watch over the children whom she considered her own. In their rush, neither of the lovers noticed the golden wedding band, abandoned on the floor.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Will had called Grace and asked her to do some of his laundry. He had been at Karen's manse for hours, claiming to be helping her with some 'legal stuff.' Grace walked into his bedroom, arriving home from her parents' house only an hour before, and she began putting clothes in a laundry basket. She cursed him under her breath for being too lazy to do his own laundry when something shiny caught her eye. She picked up a golden wedding band, many small diamonds encircling the beautiful piece of jewelry. But why would Will have a woman's wedding band on the floor of his bedroom, obviously forgotten?

She put it in her pocket and finished her search for dirty clothing. When she made it to the door she took one last look into the bedroom, noticing that the bed wasn't made. She shook her head, wondering what was going on with him, before closing the door behind her.


	14. Chapter 14

Grace had decided that Will needed to get away for a while. His anniversary with Michael was one day away and she knew he would be feeling sad. After wracking her brain, she finally asked Karen and Jack what to do. Karen suggested her cabin in Vermont and they were instantly packed and on their way.

Will had no idea as to why they had suddenly whisked him away on an impromptu vacation, but he was willing to relax. He didn't take too many vacations and the three days they would be there was slightly thrilling for him, even though he had to drive.

"Karen, if we're going to your cabin, shouldn't you be driving?" Grace turned around to face Karen, who was fondling Jack in the back seat. Their eyes met and she giggled at the question.

"My license has been suspended, honey."

"What? Why?" She giggled again and held up her flask that was lying in her purse.

"Too many DUIs."

"I've never seen you drive. When did that happen?"

"A long time ago, but it doesn't matter. I have Driver." Grace rolled her eyes at the woman in the back seat. She had to smile though. It wasn't everyday that she could spend time with such a promiscuous woman and not feel angry, or threatened by her mysterious impact on men, probably because she was married. At the thought of marriage, Grace turned around to look at her friends again, who were making out like teenagers. Karen's left hand was in full view, proving to be bare. She looked down to her purse, where the ring was hidden, and she tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Nothing made sense.

----------

The wind was blowing hard and they each had to take a deep breath when they reached the warmth of the cabin. The air was frigid and it felt as if it could completely cut through a person. After a nice dinner they all gathered around the fireplace, mugs of hot cocoa in their hands. Karen was sitting on Jack's lap, each huddled together in a fuzzy blanket, carrying on a conversation. She sat her mug on the coffee table and he pulled her close, halting the conversation. Her eyes felt heavy and she soon drifted to sleep in his arms, warm and happy.

"Is she asleep?" Grace smiled as she looked at the millionaire in Jack's arms.

"Yeah, she probably had too much to drink." He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms tighter around her, as if she were his lover. Their relationship was always so strange to Grace. Will stood from his place on the couch and stretched before reaching down and lifting Karen into his arms. She unconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her close.

"I'll take her to bed." Suddenly, with his words, everything clicked in Grace's mind. Karen's marriage, her friendship with Will, the ring, everything made sense. She waited until Will was out of sight before she stood sighed.

"I'm going to bed too, Jack. I'll see you in the morning."

"Night G." She hurried up the stairs, hoping to see something, she wasn't sure what. Will walked into Karen's room and laid her on the bed. She awoke to find him hovering over her body. Grace peeked into the room, waiting to witness something to prove her theory correct.

"What are you doing, honey?"

"You fell asleep on Jack. I was trying not to wake you." Their voices were in a whisper. She smiled as he helped her get underneath the covers of the bed. "I'll see you in the morning." He leaned down and pecked her lips. She smiled.

"Good night, honey."

Grace rushed to her room as Will made his way towards his. Her theory was shot to hell when their kiss happened to be so chaste. She was kind of hoping for them to make out in front of her, at least answering her questions. She didn't know what was going on, but she was determined to figure it out.


	15. Chapter 15

The club was crowded and sweaty, so hot. Even though it was cold outside, the inside of the building was humid. There were way too many people and Karen immediately decided that it had to be some sort of fire hazard. But Jack had insisted on going, convinced that it was going to be full of available men of whom he could take advantage. He was very persistent.

She felt hands on her, everywhere, and she didn't like it. She rushed to the exit, never bothering to tell her friends where she was going, pushing people out of her way. The door of the club burst open, and she hurriedly stepped into the cool breeze of the night, taking a deep breath. Her body reacted to the cool and she shivered. She looked to her side to find Will, smoking a cigarette near the corner of the building. She smiled and walked over to him.

"You know, that's not good for your health." He turned his head at her voice, returning a smile. She leaned against the wall next to him and awaited an explanation. He seemed oddly stressed, most likely thinking about his anniversary with Michael.

"I've only done it a few times." She took the cigarette from his fingers and took a drag before tossing it to the ground, getting her own personal fix. She blew the smoke into the air and smiled.

"What are you doing out here?"

"I'm afraid I'm a little too old for the club scene." She laughed and took his hand in her own, startling him. He wasn't used to physical contact with her in public.

"I understand, honey. It's a lot better when you can breathe." He pulled her close to him and they began walking down the long cement path to the cabin. It was through a wooded area and they could see the light that was left on in the kitchen. It wasn't spoken, but they had agreed to go back to the cabin together, finished with the idea of a club.

"It's really beautiful out here. Why don't you come here more often?" She sighed and shrugged as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"I don't have a reason to, honey." They continued to walk, the air chilling their bodies. Suddenly she pulled away from him, smiling and turning to meet his eyes. She kicked off her shoes and picked them up before walking backwards. "I'll race you."

"What?" She pulled his hand for a moment, as she sped her pace. She bit her bottom lip and her smile widened. She started running, and he was quick to chase her.

They laughed and ran up the hill to the cabin. When they made it to the porch, he grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her into his arms. She squealed in amusement as he burst through the door, her over his shoulder. He closed the door behind them and rushed over to the couch, dropping her onto the cushions. She giggled hard as he leaned over her body and tickled her.

"Stop!" She shouted through her laughter and he ceased his tickling, lying on top of her. She rolled them over and his back hit the floor, he groaned as she landed on his chest. Their breathing was heavy as their eyes met, still sparkling with amusement. She leaned down and brushed her lips over his, softly enough for him to wonder what the meaning was behind the gesture. She spread her legs and straddled him, her face only mere inches away from his. "How long do you think we have?"

"I don't know."

"Then kiss me like we have all night."


	16. Chapter 16

Grace watched as Karen sat at her desk, thumbing through a Vogue magazine. Her wedding ring was still missing from her hand and Grace had to wonder if she even noticed its absence. She walked over to her assistant and placed the ring on the desk in front of her. Karen's eyes widened, but remained focused on the ring.

"You left it in Will's room."

"Oh." She had to think of something quick or her whole secret relationship would be over, ruined by her meddling friend. "Thank you, honey. It must have slid of my finger when I used his room to change the other day. Jackie wanted me to go somewhere and he had already locked his apartment and blah, blah, blah…" She waved the rest off the sentence away with her hand and looked back down to her magazine, leaving the jewelry abandoned on her desk.

"Didn't you realize it was gone?" Grace wasn't going to let up just yet. She had a few questions to ask before she left the situation alone.

"Well, of course I did, honey. But, I figured it would turn up sooner or later." She was very nonchalant and it unnerved Grace.

"Karen, are you having sex with Will?" She almost gasped at the sudden question. Her eyes widened and she looked up to her friend.

"Are you kidding? Of course I'm not sleeping with Will. He's gayer than Christmas and I'm married." Her words left a bitter taste in her mouth, but no one would be able to tell on the outside. She laughed, as if she were amused by the question. "Sleeping with Will, that's a laugh. I highly doubt he could even get it up for a woman."

"Well, that ruins my whole theory." Grace, who obviously believed every lie she told, sighed and walked back over to her desk. Karen waited a moment before she responded, not wanting to seem too interested in Will's life.

"So, why would you even ask me that?"

"Because he's been hiding something from me, and I don't know what it is. I'm going to figure it out though." The determination in her voice made Karen feel uncomfortable. She licked her lips and turned back to her magazine.

"Just be careful, honey. Sometimes it's better to be left in the dark."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Stan was sitting at his desk, a small stack of papers in front of him. He had sent Rosario to retrieve Karen moments before and she was soon walking through his door. He waved her over to his desk and asked her to sit down, handing her a pen. He received a confused look and rolled his eyes, as if he were expecting her to know what he wanted.

"Sign these papers." He slid them in front of her, but she stalled.

"Honey, what are these?"

"Look, I'm going to lay this out for you. I may be going away for a while and I want to make sure the kids don't go to Kathy's parents."

"Where are you planning on going?" She felt panicked, all of a sudden. He had never spoken to her like that before and it was very unnerving.

"I can't talk about it, but you need to sign these papers."

"Stanly, you haven't even told me what the hell they are."

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"As far as I can tell, there's nothing to worry about. It's a solid, legal adoption process." Will handed the papers back to Karen, who was seated next to him on his couch. She shook her head.

"Honey, I don't understand. For the six years we've been married, all he has said to me and the kids is that I'm not their mother. Why the hell would he want me to adopt them now?"

"I don't know, but he's already signed them so all they need is your signature to be legally binding." She thought about it for a moment. She loved those kids, no doubt about it, but something was strange about the sudden request.

"Will, I don't know what to do."

"Do what feels right." She took a deep breath and picked up the pen that had previously been left on the table. She scribbled her name at the bottom of the pages and tossed them onto the table, picking up her wine glass and taking a sip.

"I love them too much not to sign."


	17. Chapter 17

She sighed as his tongue trailed down the center of her chest, licking the skin in between her breasts. Her hands gripped his hair as he made his way down her naked body. It was something that they rarely did, examining and touching every inch of each other's skin. It made it more special when they had the time to do it. But it was different than ever before, he was taking more time. He moved further down her body and began kissing her inner thighs, so close to her center. Suddenly, she pushed him away. He looked up at her with confusion in his eyes.

"What's wrong, Kare?" He kissed her stomach again and made his way back up to her lips. He gave her a soft kiss before meeting her eyes. "Are you okay?

"I just don't want you to do that."

"Why? I want to."

"But I don't want you to feel like you have to. We aren't a couple and…" He kissed her again, silencing her rant, and ran his hands down the sides of her body, resting more of his weight on her.

"Just let me. I promise I'll stop if you don't like it." She licked her lips and nodded. For some odd reason she just trusted him. He kissed back down her chest and she watched as he kissed her inner thighs again. She held her breath as he put his mouth on her, kissing her lower lips. She sighed heavily and leaned her head back, feeling her body reacting to his mouth.

She moaned loudly when his tongue jetted out from between his lips and grazed her. It didn't matter how loud they became, or how long they took. She rented a suite, placing the 'do not disturb' sign on the doorknob. He licked her center for a moment before his tongue found its way inside her body. She gripped his hair with her hands and couldn't help, but pull him closer. His hands reached up to caress her stomach, pulling her closer to him by her hips. An orgasm rushed from the depths of her stomach and struck her with pleasure. He sucked and continued to work until he felt the tension melt away from her. He left one last, small kiss on her before moving up to look her in the eyes.

She kissed him on the mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck. He ran his hands down the sides of her body and guided himself into her. Her breathing hitched and she bit his lip as he began to move. She loved those moments when they were so sweet with one another, gentle. It reminded her of a type of fantasy, a daydream she could have. Being friends with Will was fantastic, but making love with him was pure bliss.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The news of Stan's arrest wasn't at all surprising to Karen. She had known that something was wrong for a long time. He was hiding money in offshore accounts, illegally of course, and he was making all sorts of arrangements for Karen and the kids. She felt it all nearing, and she stayed strong as she watched the police haul him away.

"How are you?" Will walked into her library, the place that she usually sat when she had something to think about. It was filled with books, but he never saw her reading, sure that she had read every piece of literature on the shelves at least twice. He sat next to her on the couch.

"How do you expect me to be? I just watched my husband get arrested for something that I still can't fully understand." She took a long drink from her bottle of red wine and laid her head down on Will's lap. She gave a bitter chuckle. "I guess it means I'm free for a while."

"Free from what?"

"Him." He ran his fingers through her dark locks of hair and sighed. It was always difficult for him to listen to her talk like that. She sat up, his hand caressing her cheek. She leaned forward to kiss him, not even having to think twice about her actions. She pulled away and looked into his eyes. "The kids are with their grandparents tonight. Will you stay over?"

"Yeah."

"I just don't want to have too much time to think right now."

"Then kiss me again."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She loved kissing him. His lips always tasted so sweet, and his hands seemed to always know where to go. She could have completely fallen for him from the moment they met if he wasn't flamboyantly gay.

"Jack, what if someone hears?" He jumped up and down and frowned.

"Please, let me French kiss you." His whining was cute and she couldn't help, but smile. They were in a dressing room at Barney's, clothes half off their bodies.

"Fine, but don't be too loud." He giggled and shoved his tongue in between her lips, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. He slowly trailed his hands down to her hips and lifted her from the ground, causing her to wrap her legs around him as he pressed her into the door. It was always amusing to her how they could be so physical with one another one moment, but be completely serious the next. They were so vulgar at times that she just had to laugh. It was still so innocent.

Suddenly, the door of the dressing room opened and they fell to the ground. Jack landed on top of Karen, eliciting a groan of pain. A Barney's associate looked down at them, an angry look on her face. She placed her hands on her hips and they all continued to stare at one another.

"Get your clothes on, please. I'll be back with the manager." She walked away and the friends' eyes connected.

"Oh, shit." His voice pierced their small silence and they began to laugh. They hurried to get off the floor and dress, hoping to make it out before the store manager arrived. They were almost to the front doors when a security guard stepped in front of them.


	18. Chapter 18

"You two are banned from Barney's?" Will and Grace laughed at the two distraught friends during dinner. Apparently, Barney's had a very strict policy and they were banned for two months.

"It's not funny, Wilma. What happens if we want to go shopping?"

"There are other places."

"None like Barney's, honey."

They ate their meal, wonderfully prepared by Will. Karen noticed that Will and Grace seemed nervous, as if they wanted to say something. However, she didn't ask any questions. She and Will were meeting at her manse later that evening and she could ask him then.

"Why are you two so quiet?" Jack obviously noticed the oddness in the room. Grace took a deep breath as Will met Karen's eyes.

"Will and I are going to try to have a baby together."

With those words, Karen felt her heart tremble, only for a moment. Why would he want to have a baby with Grace? She was his lover; she was the woman he chose to be with when he was lonely. She knew many secrets about his life that Grace would never even imagine, and she knew him. He never talked about wanting children. Not that he would want them with her, but she still would have liked to be one of his options. For some reason the revelation hurt her.

----------

She was distant with him that evening when they made love. He felt it, but didn't say anything as they brought each other to extreme orgasms. The hurt she felt eased when he pulled out of her body, holding her close to him. After moments of silence she leaned up and kissed his lips, looking into his deep brown eyes afterwards, wondering what exactly was on his mind.

"You're angry with me, aren't you?"

"No, honey, I'm not angry." She caressed his cheek before standing from the bed, finding her clothes on the floor. He followed her and held her upper arms, stopping her from dressing. They stood in the guest bedroom of her mansion, naked and staring at one another. "It's not about you."

"Yes it is. We're just as much friends as we are lovers. Tell me."

"The baby."

"What baby?"

"The one you're having with Grace. I don't know why, honey, but it killed me when you said that tonight." Her confession startled him. It was odd to hear her confess her feelings so easily. He met her hazel eyes with his, noticing how fragile she looked at the moment.

"Karen, do you want a baby with me?" She rolled her eyes and pushed away from him. She pulled her shirt on over her head, unsure of where her bra had been thrown.

"Of course I don't."

"Why did it take you so long to answer?" He hadn't moved from his position. She stepped into her pants and glared at him.

"Just go home. We're finished."

"You know I would have asked you, but there are so many reasons why it wouldn't work."

"I know, okay. I'm married, I get it." Her voice was softer than before and she placed a hand on her forehead. She needed a drink. "It just hurt for a second."

"Karen…" He grabbed her upper arms once again, stopping her from moving towards the mini-bar. "I didn't make this decision to hurt your feelings, I know you know that. And I would love to share something like this with you, but…"

"But Grace needs this more than I do."

"I'm all she has right now, and I love her enough to do this with her. Please, don't take it the wrong way." She leaned up to place a gentle kiss on his lips. He knew that his decision was big, but he had to do something. He was getting too close to Karen, a married woman. That thought scared him more than anything.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He watched her sit on the floor of her living room, playing rummy with Grace and Jack. He decided to sit out a round, left to observe while drinking a glass of wine. Her legs were crossed in front of her and he could see a patch of pale skin above the back of her pants, getting a small glimpse of a deep red thong. He hated to admit how much his body burned for her, every time he was near her.

"Mom, Mason hit me." Olivia walked into the room, whining. Karen turned to look at the girl, tilting her head to the side.

"Honey, I told you before. You're bigger than him, hit him back." The young girl walked over to her, taking a seat on the floor. "Why aren't you in bed?" She tossed another card onto the pile before meeting Olivia's eyes.

"I want to stay up with you. Will you teach me how to play?"

Will, Grace, and Jack watched as Karen taught her stepdaughter, recently confirmed daughter, how to play cards. The girl sat on Karen's crossed legs and was soon very good at the game. Neither Grace nor Jack had ever seen that side of Karen before, maternal. It was very strange to them, given that her personality was always so harsh. However, they didn't call her out on it. Instead, they watched her every move, smiling to one another.

"Okay, honey, I'll go tuck you in. You have school tomorrow." The three friends watched as she walked away, hand in hand with Olivia.

----------

They had all gotten drunk, even Jack, causing the friends to all stay over at Karen's manse. She loved it when they did that. It gave her a feeling of happiness, for knowing that all of her true friends were sleeping in the same home, her home. Jack and Grace were lying across her bed, drunkenly passed out. She and Will were passionately making love on a chaise lounge chair in her closet.

His kisses were burning her lips as he vigorously pounded into her body, feeling an orgasm nearing. The prospect of their friends in the next room, able to catch them at any moment, was exhilarating. It raised their excitement, and she pulled him tighter to her with her legs. He had pushed her long, silky nightgown up around her waist and taken her right after she had changed. His pants were around his ankles, all they needed to connect.

He collapsed on top of her as she shivered hard against him, tightly clinging to his body. They came in unison, whispering each other's names. He found her lips in a passionate kiss and ran his hands through her hair, sending a spark through each of their connections. She broke the kiss and leaned her head back, gasping for breath. She smiled and began to giggle.

"What's funny?" He asked as he placed a small kiss on her neck before looking at her face.

"You're too wonderful for words, honey." He smiled and she giggled again, finding his lips with her own. She bit his lower lip as he pulled out of her body, not ready to break their bond. He kissed her once more before pulling her nightgown to cover her thighs. He pulled up his pants and winked at her before he walked into the bedroom, lying next to Grace to go to sleep.

Karen didn't move for a moment, too satisfied to completely break the spell. She wasn't sure what it was about Will that made her smile so much. He may have been outwardly gay, but he was the perfect lover to her. She wasn't at all worried that he didn't enjoy their time together as well; he began their escapades just as much as she. It was always so sensual. She wished so much that she weren't married. She rolled her eyes at her thoughts, so foolish.

She stood from her place in her closet, where her body had been ravished only moments before. When she walked into her bedroom she found her three friends cuddled close together on her bed. She smiled before going to lie down behind Jack, wrapping her arm around him. She barely had time to think before her eyes fluttered closed and she drifted into a peaceful sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

She could barely focus, she was so intoxicated. Grace was doing something at her desk; she didn't pay too much attention, because it really didn't matter. She checked her watch and groaned. It was only eleven o'clock in the morning. She laid her head down on her desk and soon she fell asleep.

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"How long has she been asleep?"

"Since eleven and I'm kind of getting hungry." Karen heard faint voices in the room, but she didn't care. She was bordering consciousness and not much made sense to her at the moment. "I can't just leave and hope she'll answer the phone."

"I'll stay here with her. I took the rest of the day off work, anyway."

"But I wanted you to go to lunch with me." It was Will, she could tell that much. She wasn't sure she wanted him to see her like that. The conversation continued, but she drifted back to sleep. However, moments later she felt a cold cloth being pressed to the back of her neck. She sat up, maybe too quickly, and squinted to find Will staring at her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He shrugged and sat down on the edge of her desk. She rummaged through the drawer to find headache medicine.

"I'm here because you were passed out on your desk and Grace needed to take her lunch break."

"She could have woken me." She placed two pills in her mouth before swallowing them with a martini. Will took the glass from her hands and smelled its contents, cringing.

"You know, I think you're considered an alcoholic if you're drunk before one in the afternoon."

"What the hell do you know?" She became very defensive. How dare he suggest such a thing? She grabbed the glass back from his hand and sat it on her desk. "I'm not an alcoholic."

"Fine." And that was the end of that conversation. They both knew that he didn't have much right to tell her what to do in her life. He was only a secret friend, and her lover. He didn't play the correct role to have any control, and that thought angered him more than he would have ever admitted. He leaned down and kissed her lips, taking her by surprise, but she kissed back.

She sighed as he pulled her to a standing position, pushing his tongue into her mouth. He laced his fingers with hers, placing her arms behind her back as he pulled her closer. It felt different than usual, less sensual. She opened her eyes, finding his staring back at her, before pulling away from his kiss. Her whisper seemed fragile.

"Honey, why did you keep your eyes open?" He licked his lips and stared deep into her hazel eyes. He sighed.

"I don't know."

"You're upset." He didn't answer, confirming her statement. "What did I do wrong, honey?" He pecked her lips, taking her face in his hands.

"It's not you, Kare. I'm just going through something right now."

"Tell me."

"It doesn't matter." She sighed, feeling sad that she wasn't the person he talked to about all of his problems. She nodded and tried to pull away from him, but he stopped her. "I think Grace met someone. She may not want to have a baby with me anymore." Her heart melted, making her feel oddly happy. Of course, she didn't want her friends to feel any sort of emotional pain, but it was something she wanted to hear from him for a very long time. She kissed him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Karen entered Will and Grace's apartment to find Grace crying on the couch. Her face was in her hands, and she was sobbing. It seemed as if her world had just fallen apart. Karen hurried to her side, comforting her.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Grace clung tightly to her friend, crying into her shoulder. She was so thankful to have someone to hold her when she needed comfort the most. Will had only said that he thought she met someone, he wasn't sure. If they finally had a confrontation, why was _she_ the one who was crying?

"He doesn't want to have a baby with me anymore." The words confused her. It wasn't Grace who called off the plans, it was Will. He was probably trying to beat her to the situation, stopping it before Grace could.

"Oh, Gracie." She pulled her closer and allowed her friend to take comfort from her embrace. "Its not you, honey. I'm sure he's just going through something right now."

"No, he told me he was still gay, he didn't want a baby with me, and then he left to go on a date." Karen's heart froze. She didn't know he was seeing anyone, but she supposed it was fair enough. He wasn't tied down to her, and she certainly wasn't tied down to him. It was logical. "What is so wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong with you." She pulled away from her and held her hands in her lap, her eyes sending comfort. She normally wasn't so sensitive, but it looked like Grace really needed support at the moment. She was oddly self-conscious and she needed reassurance. "Listen to me. You are a smart, funny girl and anyone would be lucky to have you. But, honey, you're chasing the wrong dream. You can't have a baby just to add some change in your life. You should fall in love first and then you can think about having babies."

"You don't think I've tried that? I'm just so fucked up, Kare." Karen gave her a sympathetic look, placing her hands on each side of her face.

"Just hold on, honey. Stop looking so hard, that's when it usually happens." She sniffled and nodded.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Gracie." They remained in the same positions until something odd struck them. The moment began to feel awkward, for an unknown reason. Grace leaned forward and brushed her lips across Karen's, causing her eyes to grow wide, but she didn't move. It was a need to feel another person's heat, and she didn't want to deny her that feeling. She kissed back as Grace moved a little bit closer to her on the couch. It was the first time the friends had ever kissed, and it was difficult not to feel something, a spark. When her friend's tongue began to tap her lips she quickly pulled away, meeting Grace's tear-filled eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, honey. I always knew you went both ways." Her joke elicited a giggle from her friend, glad that it wasn't going to be dwelled upon. "Don't worry about it." She smiled and made her way to the door.

"Wait, what did you come over for?" She shrugged.

"I was coming to see Jack, but he wasn't home. I didn't want to make the trip for nothing." She smiled and walked out the door, the taste of her lips still burning on Grace's mouth.


	20. Chapter 20

She was helping Mason and Olivia with their homework one evening when her cell phone rang. When she saw that it was Will she smiled to herself, taking the call in the next room. He didn't usually call her unless he wanted to meet her, but when he began to speak his tone was different. He seemed so sad.

"Do you want me to come over, honey? You sound really off."

"I'm not at home." She sighed.

"Well, then where are you?"

----------

She walked into a smoke-filled bar, quickly finding his eyes. He was sitting on a stool at the end of the bar, drinking a daiquiri. She shook her head and made her way over to him. She took a seat next to him, ordering a martini.

"Karen, I told you I was fine."

"And you're surprised that I didn't believe you?" She gave a short chuckle before taking a sip of her martini. He looked forward. "I know you don't want to talk about it, honey, but I hear people think better when they're not drinking."

"Please stop that."

"Stop what?"

"I hate it when you do that, act all high and mighty. You're no better than me." She rolled her eyes at his drunken ramble. "I also hate the way you walk around with your head held high, pretending you have no problems. I envy your ability to hide everything."

"I don't have an ability to hide things, Will. I have a disability to let people in. There's a difference."

"Grace said she kissed you. What was that about?"

"Are you jealous?" She giggled for a moment, but stopped when she saw the look on his face. "She was upset, and I was trying to make her feel better, it just happened. So, I guess you talked to her?" He nodded, taking another sip of his drink. Silence enveloped them for a moment. "Honey, why did you tell her you didn't want a baby with her?"

"She'll find someone else."

"That wasn't my question."

"I'd rather have a child with someone I've at least screwed around with before. We wanted this baby for all the wrong reasons."

"You try way too hard to control the future." He met her eyes, blinking heavily. She smiled and put her hand on his knee. "You don't even know what's going on. Come here." She stood and took his hand in hers, helping him stand without falling. She threw some money on the bar before turning her attention back to Will. "I'm taking you home, honey."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The New Year would arrive in a few hours and Will was having a small gathering at his apartment. Grace had brought Nathan, her new boyfriend. Will didn't like him at all, maybe because he came about at the most inopportune of all times in their lives. But he knew how much Nathan meant to Grace, so he kept quiet about it.

Jack and Karen had arrived as each other's dates. They spent the day together, finally allowed to shop at Barney's again, and the excitement of a little party seemed to be what each of them needed. He was sad about not getting a part in a theatrical production, and he just needed to have some fun. Karen had allowed the children to go to their own New Years parties with their respective friends, hoping that they would behave.

"So, Karen, how much money do you carry around with you?" She gave him a strange look. Nathan had been asking her the oddest questions ever since they met. He wasn't trying to be rude, she could tell, but he was definitely an oddly unsophisticated man. She decided that he was perfect for Grace.

"How much money do you carry around with you?" She sharply smiled before refilling her wine glass. He leaned closer to her to get some ice for his glass. She gasped as he dropped a large ice cube down the front of her dress, stopping in between her breasts. She hurriedly sat her glass on the table to begin trying to get it out, but he was faster than she and reached his hand down the front of her dress. Her eyes widened, and she gasped in surprise.

"Got it." He smiled as he walked away to put the ice in the sink. She was slightly mortified. She wasn't sure before how she felt about the new man in Grace's life, but her decision was quickly made after their incident. She liked him.

----------

The ball dropped at midnight, indicating the New Year. Will, Karen, Nathan, and Grace all watched on the television as the couples made proposals and kissed one another. Jack was asleep on the couch, the result of too much wine consumption. Nathan and Grace softly kissed as Will and Karen were left alone, glasses of wine in their hands. Their eyes met shyly before he leaned down and took her lips with his, shocking her. She kissed back and wrapped an arm around his neck as he renewed the kiss.

"Are you guys going to come up for air?" They pulled apart when Grace's voice broke their moment together. She was smiling at her friends. "It's amazing what too much alcohol can do to you. Since when don't you hate each other?"

The question was avoided with an inappropriate joke by Karen, putting an end to Grace's inquiry. The friends all laughed before Grace and Nathan left for his apartment, wanting privacy. Karen and Will were left in his apartment with a passed out Jack. The one kiss at midnight was enough to ignite a flame in their bodies and they were counting the minutes until they could be alone.

----------

Their tongues fought in a passionate battle as they burst through his bedroom door, falling to the floor in their hurry. She could already feel sweat beginning to prickle on her body as he unzipped the back of her dress. She hurriedly began to undo his pants and they were soon free from all clothing. His hands were hot as he pulled her close to him and made their connection. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist as he began to make her his. She was his.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She walked into the concrete building, shivering at the chill that ran up her spine. She was visiting Stan in jail, for the first time in weeks. It just didn't feel important to her, with the kids and her friends, she just couldn't find the time. However, she was shocked to find him being wheeled out of the jail on a gurney, an oxygen mask on his face.

"Oh my gosh, what's happening?" Her panicked voice rushed from her mouth as she began to follow the paramedics. They allowed her to ride with him to the hospital, but she was left in the waiting room, worried and alone. They had only told her that he had collapsed in his cell, an unknown reason. She found her phone in her purse and began to dial a number.

----------

Will rushed into the waiting room to find Karen on a small couch in a corner, looking very out of place. Her expensive wardrobe clashed with the overused furniture. He walked closer and their eyes met. She quickly stood from her seat and embraced him.

"What have they told you?"

"Nothing at all, they just took him to the ER." She pulled away and met his eyes. "What if he's not okay?"

"Karen, stop panicking until you know something. He could be just fine." They walked over to the couch and sat down, his arm around her. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his breathing. They didn't move for an hour, awaiting the news of Stan's condition. He could tell that she was worried, and he held her close for reassurance.

"Mrs. Walker…" She met the eyes of the doctor and immediately knew that something was wrong. She stood from her seat, Will's hand tight in her grasp.


	21. Chapter 21

Stanly Walker's funeral was held at the church where he and Karen married. His heart had simply failed to keep him alive, he died instantly. The funeral was quick and to the point, leaving her more time to think of her regrets. She felt nothing at all when they announced that she inherited her husband's vast fortune, his companies, and their home. The material things suddenly seemed so meaningless. There was still so much she needed to say to him, so much time they had wasted.

----------

A week had passed since Stan's funeral, and Karen was finally beginning to place his belongings in boxes. She had already had some of the maids pack away his clothing, but she felt it was her responsibility to clean out his desk. He must have felt it was her responsibility as well because she found a letter with her name on it, in his authoritative handwriting.

"Are you alright?" Will's voice startled her and she quickly turned to meet his gaze.

"Yes." She walked over to him and hugged him, using his body as comfort for a moment. She backed away and handed him the envelope. "He must have left this before he went to prison. I just found it."

"Are you going to read it?" She shrugged and placed a hand on her hip.

"I kind of feel like it's the least I could do. I mean, I _was_ fucking around on him." Will felt guilty. He always did when their situation was brought into the light. He handed her the envelope and she opened it, without another thought.

"I'll leave you alone. Call me when you feel like talking." She placed a hand on his arm, stopping him from leaving.

"Please stay." Her eyes pleaded with him and he couldn't leave her. He sat down on the couch and waited for her to do the same. When she followed, he pulled her legs across his lap and placed his hands over them, bringing her comfort while she began to read.

_Karen,_

_I know you're probably angry with me right now. By the time you read this I will have already been taken to prison. I didn't tell you about it because its better that way, being left in the dark._

_I also know that I will probably not make it out alive. I have a heart condition, and I'm sorry I haven't told you. I've known for a week or so, but for some reason I don't want you to know. Its incurable and they say that I don't have much longer. I only hope I get to touch you again._

_I love you. You haven't heard that from me enough over the years and I am so sorry. You took my name, my ring, and my heart and I was far from a good husband to you. I'm so hardened, Kare, and I don't know why. I don't ask your forgiveness though. I know it is too much to ask when I don't deserve it at all. I've treated you so badly at times when all you needed was a kiss, an innocent one at that. I can't tell you how sorry I am for being so blind to your needs. I love you._

_My unsatisfactory ways are why you turned to him. Yes, I do know about your lover. I know that he treats you well because I've seen you smile more than I have in years. It hurts, I won't lie to you, but I understand. What hurts me the most is the fact that I drove you into his arms, your wedding ring absent from your finger. You're such a strong woman for staying with me as long as you have. He makes you much happier than I ever could. Please don't feel guilty, and if you want, tell him not to feel guilty either. It's a matter of staying alive, inside and out. You needed him to breathe._

_You're beautiful. Your eyes sparkle when your happy, which I haven't seen enough in the past few years. Your shoe size is six, and your favorite color is dark green, because it always seems to get forgotten. You hate all of our friends, but you love your new ones, who see you for who you really are. You would much rather wear jeans, tee-shirts, and your glasses than dressing up, even though I have never heard you complain. Those are just a few of the little things that prove I still know you, and I always will. You're unforgettable._

_I hope you find someone in your life who can treat you the way that you deserve to be treated, maybe your lover. Please, don't let him act the way I have been acting. Don't settle for less than you deserve. You deserve the world. I kissed your lips when you were sleeping tonight, though I know it isn't the same as if you were awake, but I at least owe that to you. We've grown too far apart for me to kiss you for no reason at all. I'm sorry, Karen, and I love you so much. Raise our children right and tell them how much they mean to me. It hurts me sometimes to see the way they love you more than me, but they were always your children too, no matter what I said. Stay beautiful, inside and out._

_I will love you forever,_

_Stanly_

Tears fell down her cheeks as she read the words from her late husband. Will didn't move to touch her, knowing that she needed a moment for herself. She bit her lip and met his eyes before handing him the open letter. She silently gave him permission to read it, and he did.

"Wow." The word escaped his mouth in a sigh as he turned to face her. He had no idea what to say.

"That was the man I married, honey."

"Come here." He pulled her into an embrace, hoping to ease her sorrow. "Are you okay?"

"It was just a little too late, wasn't it?" She sniffled and took a deep breath before pulling away. She kissed his lips. "I'm going to check on the kids."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The water was warm around her body and the bubbles were relaxing. Will's arms held her tight from behind as she settled further into the bath. She loved moments like that, when they could do simple things together like bathing. He wrapped his arms tighter around her chest, allowing her to kiss his hand, feeling his soft skin against her back.

"Why are you with me?" Her words were so soft that they were barely audible.

"We're good for each other." She smiled and turned her face so she could meet his eyes. They never spoke about their situation with much sincerity, and she felt as if she needed honesty at the moment.

"How am I good for you, honey?"

"You make me realize that there's a part of me that I tend to hide. I like that part of me, and I love that you always know how to make me see it." He leaned down to kiss her lips, wrapping his legs around her waist. She could feel his pelvis pressing against her lower back and she smiled.

"Don't stop talking. Tell me more."

"I love the way that you fit in my arms, like we were made to be together. You always know what to say to make me feel better when I'm upset or angry. You respect me, and I respect you. We go together."

"I feel the same way, honey. Is that wrong?"

"I don't know, but I don't care if it is." She smiled, feeling strange warmth at his confession. He kissed her and they continued their bath, never feeling the need to move.


	22. Chapter 22

"How are you feeling, Karebear?" Jack walked into her office, finding her thumbing through a magazine.

"I'm fine, Poodle. I was hoping you'd stop by." He sat down on the edge of her desk and smiled, like a child.

"Really?"

"Yeah, honey, I wanted to ask your opinion on something." She bit her lip and closed her magazine. "What if I wanted to have a baby?" She expected him to laugh, but he was silent. He looked as if he were connecting the dots in his head, trying to find the reason for her sudden thought.

"Wait, like Will and Grace were going to do? Karen, do you want me to be your baby daddy?" She laughed at his question, seeing the fear in his eyes. She placed a hand on his cheek.

"No, Poodle, don't worry. I just wanted to know what you think."

"I don't know. I guess it only matters what you think. Have you ever even held a baby?" His eyes squinted as he thought, obviously unaware of the sincerity of her question. "Wait, you can't use a baby to fill the void that Stan left in your life. He's only been gone for two months."

"That is not what I'm trying to do, honey." Her voice was colder than before, defensive. She walked over to get a bottle of vodka from the mini-bar, but stopped before her hand could reach the bottle. She sighed. "I think I might be pregnant."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Grace, you will never guess what Karen told me before she closed the office today." Grace had gone home early, feeling under the weather. Jack rushed into her apartment and jumped on the couch, where she was watching television.

"If it's another drinking story about…"

"She thinks she's pregnant." Grace's eyes were wide and she gave a confused look.

"But it can't be Stan's because…"

"Exactly." She gasped. If Karen were to have been pregnant with Stan's child, she would have had to schedule a conjugal visit with the prison. However, she always told Jack that she never would.

----------

Will walked into his apartment after a long day of work. He was exhausted and looking forward to getting to sleep early. His plans were changed when Jack and Grace rushed over to him with their new gossip. His stomach ached.

----------

He knocked on her door, angrily. How could she not tell him? She shared that little detail with Jack, but she didn't have the courage to bring it up to him? She answered the door and met his angry gaze.

"Honey, what's going on?"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you're pregnant?"

"What?"

"Jack told me." She shook her head and walked away from him, heading up the stairs. He slammed the door behind him and followed her, hot on her heels. "Damn it, Karen, stop walking away from me!" He followed her into her bedroom where she reached into her trash can and handed him a small white stick. "What is this?"

"It's a false pregnancy test. Now, get the hell out of my house."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's my problem, not yours!" She tried to walk away from him, but he pulled her back towards him. His grip was tight on her arm. "Let go of me!"

"This is just as much my fucking responsibility as it is yours!"

"No it isn't because it turned out to be a false alarm!"

"You should have told me instead of Jack!"

"It doesn't matter!" She pulled out of his grip, but he rushed in front of her door, not allowing her to leave. She tried to push him out of the way, but he didn't move.

"Karen, please talk to me." His voice had found a new level of softness, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. Her voice sounded venomous, cold.

"I didn't want to tell you before I knew for sure. I was trying to avoid this particular type of situation." He leaned down and left a kiss on her lips, one that was out of place. She couldn't help, but notice how relieved he looked after her confession. It hurt a little, but she shook it off. Her voice became lighter. "I guess now I know that Jack can't be trusted with anything, even my secrets."

"I'm glad he can't. I never would have known if he hadn't said something to Grace." She leaned her head back and sighed.

"Grace knows?" She ran a hand through her hair, pushing the situation from her mind. "Listen, you want to go to a movie tonight with me and the kids? I guess I should at least take you out, after what I put you through."

"Wait, I don't want to just drop this conversation like this."

"What is there left to say, honey? I, for one, am ready for a drink." He reached out and took her hand in his, the gentleness taking her aback. He looked deep into her hazel eyes and she bit her lip. It always made her nervous when he did that.

"What would you have done if it was positive?"

"It wasn't."

"But what if it was?"

"Then I would have had your baby. But it was negative, so you don't have to worry about being forced to procreate with someone like me." He sighed at her comment and deepened his gaze.

"You know what I would have done?"

"Denied that you ever put it in me?" His face hardened and she knew that her words were too harsh. She was just so confused at the moment, about everything, and her words were difficult to control. She looked to the ground. "I'm sorry, honey. What would you have done?" He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I would have done that. Because having a baby with you would be wonderful. We would be connected in a way that nothing could break."

"You're lying." Her whisper was soft, barely audible, but he heard her. He smiled and shook his head.

"I don't want an answer yet, but would you think about having a baby with me?" She swallowed hard, feeling a tightening in her throat. She had wanted him to ask her that for so long, no matter how odd it would sound. The words were music to her ears. But she did have a lot to think about, and she was glad that he didn't want an answer right away. That was something she loved about Will, he understood her, most of the time.

"I'll think about it, Will." She allowed him to kiss her once again before smiling, putting a real end to their conversation.


	23. Chapter 23

"Mom, what are you doing?" Karen jumped as Olivia's voice echoed through the room. She was talking to Will on the phone, giggling, when the young girl walked into the library. She said a quick goodbye before hanging up, smiling.

"I was just talking to someone. Did you need something?" She shrugged and sat next to her on the couch, presenting a page full of algebraic equations.

"I need help with my math homework. Were you talking to Will?"

"Yes I was, why?"

"I can always tell when you talk to him. You giggle a lot." Karen felt her cheeks turn a pale shade of pink, oddly embarrassed. "So, how do I factor this when there's a number in front of the ex squared?" Karen shook her head and taught the basics of factoring, something she was unaware that she still remembered. However, when the lesson was finished, Olivia didn't stand to leave. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can, honey?" She felt worried. It couldn't be a good conversation if it followed 'Can I ask you a question?' She took a deep breath and waited, wishing she had poured herself a martini first.

"Did you love Daddy?" The girl looked sad, maybe even confused. Karen didn't hesitate to answer.

"Yes, I did."

"Why? He was so mean to us. He was mean to you. Why did you love him and still let him talk to you like he did?" She licked her lips, having already pondered the same thought. Olivia was such a child most of the time that it was always a surprise when she came looking for an adult conversation. The truth was, she was only growing older and looking for answers.

"Olivia, I knew you father for ten years before he asked me to marry him. He changed a lot, but I could always remember the way he was." She smiled at memories. "When we first got married, he would always ask me how happy I was. And if I was having a bad day, or feeling sick, he would buy me flowers or stay home from work with me. He used to be a very sweet man. He always made me smile."

"What happened? Was he like that with my mom?"

"I don't know, honey."

"What's a whore?" Karen's eyes widened. She could never predict Olivia's train of thought and it made her increasingly nervous.

"Well, um…"

"Stop trying to sugar-coat it. I'm old enough to know."

"A whore is someone who has sex for money." She began to feel sweat prickling on her body. Speaking of sex, and whatnot, was never a difficult issue in her life until her kids began to ask questions about it. It was then that she felt nervous.

"Oh." She looked confused for a moment, her brow furrowed. Karen took her hand in hers, a form of comfort.

"Why would you ask me that, honey?" Olivia shook her head. "Hey, you brought it up. Don't I deserve an answer?"

"Grandma told me that my mom and dad were happy until a whore came into his life. Were you a whore?"

"No, I was not." She felt so offended. It was one thing that her grandparents were constantly wanting the kids at their house, but it was another for them to talk about her like that in front of them. "Was that your mother's mom who said that?"

"Yes. She says that the reason she spends so much time with us is because you can't be trusted. But I don't think she's right. I think she's just mad that Daddy didn't leave us with her in his will." Karen was infuriated. How could they be telling the children such awful things about her?

"You know that sometimes people say things when they're angry, things that aren't true." The girl shook her head and sighed. "Your father loved your mother a lot, but sometimes things just don't work out."

"Was it your fault?" Karen licked her lips. She was definitely uncomfortable, more than she was before. Usually, she would walk away from a conversation like the current, make a joke and leave, but she felt the need to clarify the situation for Olivia.

"Honey, I don't think any one person is to blame. Can I tell you a secret? Your father never loved me as much as your mother, I could always tell. I used to think that it was my fault, but love makes people do crazy things, and act in crazy ways. Does that make since?"

"Yes." She reached forward and wrapped her arms around Karen's neck, hugging her. Karen was taken aback, but she responded to the girl's embrace. "If it makes you feel better about being called a whore, I think you're a great mom. If I would have asked anyone else questions like that they would have lied to me."

"Thank you, honey." She smiled, holding back a smile. To her, words like that were a part of motherhood that she could never get enough of. It was so wonderful to have a relationship like that with a child, so open.

"Can I ask another question?"

"Of course you can."

"Are you in love with Will?"

"What?" Her heart sped faster in her chest, pounding. "Why would you ask me that?"

"I was just wondering." She shrugged before standing to leave the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She bit her lip, looking at the small white pill in her palm. She had been using oral contraceptives since she was eighteen, never once skipping a day. The only time she had stopped was to get pregnant during her second marriage. After her miscarriage, she decided that she wanted nothing to do with children anymore, they didn't match her personality. However, Will had put an idea in her mind. She couldn't ignore what he had said.

She would have loved to have a child of her own, but she was terrified. It took her a very long time to get over the loss of her pregnancy, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to risk that. Stan never asked her for a child, even he didn't know about her past. Nobody knew. It was something that she kept inside, not wanting to be excluded or ostracized for one reason or another.

The thought of a baby was sweet. An innocent smile appeared on her lips as she thought of all the possibilities. Of course she had Mason and Olivia, but raising a child from birth, experiencing a full-term pregnancy, painting a nursery, everything seemed so surreal. She could actually have that, if she wanted it. But that was her question. Did she want it? Could she really be happy with a decision like that?

She licked her lips and took a deep breath before tossing the pill in the trashcan.


	24. Chapter 24

She made sure he was on top of her when they made love and refused a condom. She hadn't taken her contraceptive pill in days. He enjoyed the power, the feeling of his bare flesh inside her. They had gone to a movie and soon found themselves in his bedroom, tossing sighs towards the walls. The sheets rustled and the headboard slammed against the wall as she clung to his body.

They were both close to the edge, desperately in need of release. One good thing about Grace having Nathan, she was hardly ever home. They didn't have much reason to worry about being caught in the act. He reached down in between them and began to rub her near their opening. She arched her back and sighed heavily, feeling his lips burn the flesh of her throat. Her legs were tight around his waist, pulling him deep as she began to convulse beneath him, whimpering from the pleasure.

She scratched her fingernails down his back and kissed him until he came inside of her. He tried to pull out quickly so he wouldn't fill her, but she held him close with her legs, not allowing him to move. He kissed her instead, running a hand over her one of her breasts. They pulled away, breathing on each other's lips, caressing each other's bodies.

"No. Stay inside me." She squeezed her legs tighter around his waist as he began to move. She had been reading medical suggestions and reports about how to get pregnant. They all seemed to agree that she and Will needed to stay together for as long as they could after they made love, and she would have a better change of conceiving if she was on her back, her legs in the air.

"You're beautiful." She smiled and hugged him, kissing his bare shoulder. He tried to pull out again, but she still wouldn't let him. "Kare, I want to lie down."

"Then lay on me. Please don't pull out." He met her request and rested more weight on her, hoping he wasn't crushing her. She sensed his hesitation and felt that she was acting a little too controlling. It wasn't like her to be that way in their relationship. She rolled them over so they were on their sides, staring into one another's eyes. Their connection was still strong and he was inclined to wonder what she was trying to do.

"Why do you want to stay so close?" She rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Well, honey, it'll be harder for me to get pregnant if you don't stay put."

"You mean you want to…"

"Yes." He smiled and kissed her lips, sending his excitement through their kiss.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She was lying flat on her back, her legs above her head, resting over the back of her couch. Will had just left her mansion before the kids arrived home from school. They had made love twice and she was trying her hardest to keep her idea of pregnancy alive. She hadn't drank alcohol, smoked, or taken any pills since she made her decision, and she was sticking to that plan.

"Miss Karen, I need to…what are you doing?" Rosario eyed her suspiciously as she entered the library. Karen laid her head back, looking at her maid upside down.

"It's none of your business. Hey, can you roll that footstool under my head? This is giving me a headache." Rosario did as Karen asked and rolled the plush footstool next to the couch, under her boss's head. "Thanks Ro-Ro. Now, what did you want?"

"I wanted to tell you that Jack called. He is on his way over."

"Okay, honey." She began to walk away, but stopped.

"Miss Karen, what are you doing?" She rolled her eyes, sitting up on the couch to face her.

"What is your fascination with what I am doing? You're the maid. You wash my bras."

"I also wash your bed-sheets, you drunken lunatic. I know you're with Will." Karen was outraged, but also embarrassed. She had never thought about Rosario being in the house, cleaning all of her things, her sheets. She licked her lips as her cheeks turned pink.

"Okay, listen, you don't need to tell anyone about this. I'll give you whatever you want if you just keep your mouth shut." Rosario walked closer to her and pulled her into a hug, easing her troubled mind.

"Give me the weekends off and I won't tell anyone about the baby either." She pulled away and looked the maid in the eyes.

"Fine, honey. Get the hell out of here." They shared a shy smile before the maid left and Karen went back to dangling her legs above her head. She sighed. It didn't really matter what Rosario had against her, in terms of blackmail. Their friends would find out about the relationship soon enough.


	25. Chapter 25

"Karen, can I ask your opinion about something?"

"Sure, honey." Grace walked over to her desk and sat on a small stool. She looked into her eyes.

"Am I a good kisser?" She laughed and patted her friend's hand.

"Grace, that only happened once. I don't know. Besides, what the hell does it matter?"

"I think Nathan wants to break up with me, but he hasn't been able to tell me. I don't know what I did so that was my last solution."

"That's crazy. I thought you loved each other?" She closed her magazine, giving Grace her full attention. She wanted to prove to her that she was a good friend.

"I thought so too, but he's been really distant here lately."

"That's how men get, honey. I mean, take it from me; I've been married three times. I know a thing or two about relationships." Grace smiled and shook her head.

"I just need to get him to talk to me. He won't open up."

"Well, even though he isn't opening his mind, are you still opening your legs?"

"Karen, that is my business." Her eyes widened and she seemed offended. Karen shrugged it off and continued.

"How will he know if something is wrong if you keep acting like you're fine? Maybe he doesn't realize that you're sitting around freaking out because he's happy to just be with you." She picked up a new magazine and flipped open the front cover. "You're so exhausting."

Grace thought for a moment before she stood and walked to her desk, picking up the phone. She set up a lunch date with Nathan before turning back to Karen and smiling. She walked over to her, leaning down and placing a kiss on her lips, tasting her cherry flavored lip gloss. They smiled.

"Thanks."

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Will had visited Karen while Grace was at lunch, hurriedly locking the door of the office and making love to her on the floor. They wanted a baby more than anything. It seemed like every time they were together, it was for one thing only. However, neither of them could complain. They were so addicted to each other that it only added to the fun of an affair. Just as she had unlocked the office door, straightening her shirt, Grace walked in with a smile on her face. Karen sat at her desk, she and Will both carrying looks of contentment on their faces.

"How did it go with Nathan, Gracie?" Karen smiled and ran her fingers through her hair.

"We had a long talk and I think we worked some things out. Thanks again for the advice." Will chuckled and spoke up.

"Karen gave good advice? Somebody needs to write that down." Karen smiled and rolled her eyes at his cheesy joke. She could tell that he was nervous. Grace could have walked in on them, she was pretty close. But oddly, he couldn't wait to share the news of his and Karen's plans to have a child. His thoughts were completely mixed together. He only hoped it would all work out for the best.

"She's not so bad." Grace winked as she pecked his lips. She pulled away and gave him a confused look. "Why do your lips taste like Karen's?" His heart began to beat faster.

"I kissed her."

"Why?"

"Why did you?" She thought for a moment, realizing that kissing each other wasn't exactly something that was a rarity between the four of the friends. She shrugged.

"Good point." Will and Karen shared a look and a sigh as Grace moved back towards her desk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She groaned and tapped her foot as she waited for the timer to ding. She had taken another pregnancy test only moments before, and she felt so impatient. She paced the bathroom floor, taking deep breaths. Will asked her to call him whenever she found out for sure, but she wished he was there with her. It was always difficult to face the result when she was alone, especially since the result was always the same.

The timer dinged and she jumped, rushing over to the stick on her counter. She opened her eyes to see the color on the stick. Her sigh got lost in the sound of the apparatus hitting against the side of the trashcan. It was another negative pregnancy test. She had taken so many that it barely hurt, being so monotonous.

"Maybe we should see a doctor." Will's words echoed in her mind. Maybe he was right; she wasn't as young as she used to be. There could easily be complications with her body that she simply hadn't had the opportunity to be aware of. She shrugged and picked up the phone to call Will.


	26. Chapter 26

They walked into the doctor's office for Karen's checkup. After another false pregnancy test, Karen decided to make an appointment. She wanted some answers. Will had agreed to go with her and she was soon on her back with her legs in the stirrups, his hand in hers.

"Everything seems fine, Ms. Walker." The doctor backed away and she put her legs together. He pulled over an ultrasound machine and got some gel out of a drawer.

"What's that?"

"You feel a little swollen and I want to get a closer look, if that's okay."

"Oh, of course." Will's heart pounded in his chest as he heard the doctor's words. He wasn't sure what was normal during a physical examination for a woman, but Karen's confusion made him nervous. It was as if she wasn't sure what was happening either. The doctor spread a cold, thick gel on her stomach and she gasped at the chill. He ran the machine over her, but suddenly stopped moving, biting his lip. "Is something wrong?"

"How long has it been since your last period?" She had to think for a moment.

"I guess it's about four or five days late. But I took a pregnancy test and it was false. I assumed it was just stress. Why, honey, what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong. You must have just gotten a false negative."

"What?"

"I'll have to run some blood work, but from what I can tell you're almost a month pregnant." Will and Karen each felt their hearts warm, and their hands tightened their grips on the other.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Karen smiled as she looked at her naked self in the mirror, running her hand over her still flat stomach. She still couldn't believe that she was pregnant, with child, knocked up. It felt so nice to say it aloud. She was taken aback by how excited she was, even though she was aware that her past could repeat itself. She shook her head and found her smile again, not wanting to dwell on the past. It was time to look ahead, and for her to be excited about the prospect of a baby.

Will walked out of the bathroom and smiled at her, loving how confident she was with her body. He moved to settle himself behind her, naked as well, and rested his hands over hers. She leaned her head back and snuggled closer to him, feeling his warmth.

"I'm so happy, Kare."

"Me too, honey." He kissed her cheek and trailed his lips down to her shoulder. "How are we going to tell them?"

"I don't know." She didn't have to say their names. He knew exactly who she meant. Jack and Grace were still completely in the dark when it came to their friends' love lives. "Maybe we should tell them about the baby before we tell them how long we've been lying to them."

"I think they'll connect the dots, honey." She giggled and reached up to run a hand through his hair. "Let's wait a little while before we tell them. There's still time for something to go wrong."

"Like what? I'm excited and I want to tell them now."

"What if we told them and I ended up miscarrying? Then we'd blow our cover for nothing."

"Why would you miscarry?" She took a deep breath, wishing she had just kept her mouth shut.

"I have before." She felt him pull away to look at her. Their eyes met through the mirror and she shrugged, some kind of apology.

"Oh."

"Yeah." He kissed her neck and turned her around to face him. "It was a long time ago, honey. I'm fine."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." He kissed her lips, pulling her reached down the length of her body to grasp her naked buttocks in his hands. His tongue penetrated her lips and she sighed in response before pulling away. "Honey, we just made love like ten minutes ago."

"I'm ready to go again." He kissed her and she giggled as he lifted her from the ground. He lay her down on the bed and mounted her, his kiss beginning to burn on her lips.


	27. Chapter 27

They walked into Will's apartment after taking a bath together at Karen's manse. He called Grace and Jack and made sure that they would all meet at eight o'clock. He cooked them a nice dinner, and they all offered interesting conversation. It was when they gathered on the couch that Will and Karen stood, ready to make their announcement.

"We have something to tell you two." Will began his statement, nervousness was evident in his voice. "Karen and I are going to have a baby together."

Silence filled the air for a moment, suspending the words. All of a sudden, Jack and Grace burst into laughter. They thought it was a joke, especially coming from Will and Karen. What else could it have been?

"Kids, we're serious. I'm pregnant." Jack stood and walked over to face her, still smiling.

"Karebear, you thought you were pregnant before and it was a false alarm, remember?"

"It's for real this time, Poodle. I'm almost a month along."

"And it's mine." Will stepped forward and put his arm around her shoulders. Jack fell back onto the couch, next to a shocked Grace. "We're having a baby together." Jack turned his head away, unable to look at them anymore. Grace still hadn't spoken. She didn't know what to say.

"Gracie, please say something." Karen sat down next to her and took her hand with her own. Grace's eyes met hers.

"You lied to me."

"What?"

"I asked you a long time ago whether or not you were sleeping with Will and you said no. You lied to me, straight to my face." She stood from the couch, beginning to pace. "I found the ring in the bedroom, you two kissing at New Years, both of you lied about everything." Karen stayed silent. She didn't know what to say.

"Grace, I love her." Both of the women's eyes darted to meet his as he finished his statement. "I know it sounds weird. I'm a gay man who fell in love with a shallow socialite, and now we're having a baby together. I couldn't be happier because I know that this is right, even though it sounds so wrong."

"You can't be serious. You two have hated each other from day one."

"I am serious. I plan on spending the rest of my life with her and its going to happen whether you're here to be with us or not. But, Grace, I hope to God you will be here because I don't want to live without you and Jack in my life."

"Honey, you love me?" Karen stood and walked to stand in front of him, as if they were putting their previous conversation on pause.

"I've loved you for so long, Kare."

"I love you too." They smiled, hand in hand, before turning back to face their friends.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**One year later…**

Karen walked into the nursery and lifted her crying baby from the crib, cradling it in her arms. A baby girl, three months old, and Will and Karen couldn't have been happier. Will moved into her mansion with her and their child, ready to make a lifelong commitment to the two greatest things that had ever happened to him, Karen and their baby.

Nathan and Grace married a few months after the surprising confession in Will's apartment. It had taken her a while to get used to seeing her friends together as a couple, but she finally did. She realized that they were so much happier together than they ever were alone, and that thought made her heart feel light.

Jack moved into the manse along with Will. He took a guest bedroom, and he was soon falling in love with the idea of having a niece. He held her and fed her and dressed her whenever he could, so happy to have her as a part of his life.

The four friends were an inseparable bond, never broken. Even though changes came their way, good and bad, they would always have one another. They would always be together.

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She smiled as she watched her family sit in her living room. Grace, Nathan, and Will were playing a game with Mason and Olivia while Jack made faces at her baby girl on the couch. It was such a beautiful sight to her. She was in love, and she was completely happy.

Her second husband was who she used to call the love of her life. He was sensitive, passionate, and he loved her with all his heart. She felt as if a sheet of ice had been paved over her heart when he died. Her marriage with Stan was far from perfect, leaving her feeling lonely and bitter.

Then there was Will. He would put her life and the life of their child before his own. He would do anything she asked him to do, even if it sounded crazy. He would risk his friendship with Grace and Jack, friendships that had lasted for twenty or so years, just to be with her. He loved her, and she loved him. He warmed her soul after so many years of being cold. And all it took was a small epiphany for her to realize that he was all she needed for her life to be complete.

The End


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